


His Best Friend's Sister

by Psychgirl7



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Upside Down, Angst, Becomes a little bit like porn with a plot, Billy Hargrove Being Less of an Asshole, Billy and Max have a better sibling relationship, F/M, Language, Once sex happens it keeps happening, Original Female is 16, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Underage (she's 16 he's 18), billy is 18
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:55:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 16
Words: 85,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24970414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Psychgirl7/pseuds/Psychgirl7
Summary: Billy is a flirt. When it comes to his friend Tommy Hagan’s younger sister, it’s no different. After coming to her rescue one night, the dynamics between the two change. What started out as harmless flirtation turns into a series of secret trysts. However, the discovery of a wager that Billy made threatens to ruin everything.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 86
Kudos: 113





	1. Material Girl

**Author's Note:**

> With the story meant to take place beginning in spring of 1985, I am going to try to use popular 1984/1985 song titles as chapter titles.
> 
> In this universe, there is no Upside Down, no supernatural stuff, and therefore Billy is alive and well :)

Jackie Hagan sat on the sofa, reading a magazine and bouncing her foot with her legs crossed. Dad was out of town yet again on another business adventure. Mom would be gone for hours. First church, then the weekly grocery shopping.

Sundays were a day for rest and fun. It was usually the day she would lounge around the house until noon in her pajamas. Her older brother, Tommy, would sometimes have his friend Billy over, and they would play billiards in the game room downstairs or smoke weed. Sometimes they offered it to Jackie, sometimes they didn’t. But, she rarely partook in their shenanigans.

Marijuana made them stupid. Although, she would be lying to herself if she said she didn’t love seeing Billy smile and hear him laugh. When he had weed in his system, his laugh was higher pitched. His smile was wider, cheeks were rounder and flushed, and his nose would scrunch up at the top. Sometimes when he would laugh, he would bite his tongue between his teeth. It was adorable. For as angry and aggressive as he could be when he was drunk, he was that much more adorable and laid back when he was high. Jackie liked being one of the few people to see Billy that way.

With just two years between them, it wasn’t out of the realm of possibilities that they could date. Sixteen and eighteen wasn’t a huge difference. There were a few couples at school in that exact scenario. But, Billy didn’t _date._ Billy had a reputation. A new girl every month. Sometimes a few girls every month, from what she had heard. He was pretty to look at, but Jackie wasn’t willing to subject herself to being just another notch on his belt. Not that he ever outright offered; but, if he did, it would probably have to be a _no._

Flirting was harmless. Billy might have been an asshole to just about everyone— Jackie included, sometimes— but, there was a certain inflection in his voice that made his words lighter, less serious with her. A sparkle in his eye when he would wink at her made everything easy breezy. Maybe it was to keep things copasetic so his friendship with Tommy would remain intact. He was, after all, entertaining and scored decent weed. As good as weed can get in the middle of Bumfuck, Egypt. Maybe it was to keep her from feeling too upset because he genuinely liked her. Regardless, there was an undeniable chemistry between them. In a way, it was nice having an asshole in her corner. It meant that people hardly messed with her.

Jackie probably saw Billy more than Tommy did. She just so happened to be good friends with his stepsister, Max. She and Max were in the same grade. They shared several classes together as well as the propensity to annoy the daylights out of their older brothers. Between Billy being at her house and Jackie being at his, they typically crossed paths every weekend. Sometimes outside of school during the week, too. Sophomores and seniors did not typically have classes together unless they took an elective of some sort. She lucked out that she and Billy had the same study period in the library. With his smart mouth, though, he had gotten them into trouble a few times. He made her laugh until her stomach hurt. For one reason or another, it was impossible for a girl to remain quiet in the presence of Billy Hargrove.

She made him laugh, too. Jackie could roll with the punches and keep up with the big dogs. Being Tommy Hagan’s sister, she had to. She had a rapier wit and a tongue that could be just as sharp. It made Billy laugh, especially when he was witness to the banter between the two siblings. Nine times out of ten, Jackie put Tommy in his place. Jackie could fend for herself, that was for sure. It was amusing to Billy how Tommy could be so quick witted at school, but his brains seemed to fall out of his asshole when it came to his sister. Despite that fact, Tommy really did love his sister. Even if he never said it.

The one thing that Jackie did hate about her interactions with Billy, though, was when he would ruffle her hair. Like she was a ten-year-old boy or something. It just screamed _‘I view you as a kid.’_ As good looking as Billy was, it was difficult to not develop a little crush. He was chiseled; he was a tough guy; he could be really funny when he wanted to be. It was no wonder all the girls flocked to him. At the end of the day, however, all Jackie was is Tommy’s little sister. And that kind of hurt.

The familiar rumble of the Camaro’s engine pulled into the driveway. It was no longer an unfamiliar sound in Loch Nora. Not since Billy’s family had moved to Hawkins this past fall. Jackie looked at the clock. It was still relatively early. Just a quarter until nine. Tommy must have replenished his stash. Billy never comes over this early on a weekend. Jackie rolled her eyes when the tune of _shave and a haircut, two bits_ rhythmically knocked at the front door.

Had she known Billy was coming over, she would have gotten dressed in her day clothes. At least put on a bra. She was still in her navy blue sleeping shorts and a matching camisole. And her breasts weren’t exactly tiny. She placed her magazine face-down on the couch and opened the door, placing her hand on her hip and popping it out to the side.

Billy smirked and looked at her up and down. He hissed through his teeth. “Well, hello, Jackie,” he drew out every syllable while his eyes traveled back up her body. He winked with an admiring shake of his head, “Nice outfit.”

“I didn’t know you were coming,” she retorted, somewhat embarrassed at him seeing so much of her exposed skin. Although, part of her did like the rather satisfied look on his face.

“I haven’t,” Billy grinned. “Not yet.”

Jackie’s cheeks flushed a brighter shade of pink at the sexual innuendo. She should be used to it by now. She tried to think of something quick to say. She couldn’t let Billy know that every time he spoke to her that she felt just a little bit more wet between her legs.

“Well, the day’s still young. Judging by Carol’s incessant screaming, I’m sure my brother can find some way to satisfy you.” She arched an eyebrow and waited for a reply.

Billy chuckled and raised his eyebrows. He stretched his arm up and leaned it against the doorframe. “ _Rawr_ , we’re _feisty_ this morning.” He drawled out every single word, looking down at her through his long lashes.

She simply just smirked and turned to shout up the stairs for Tommy. “Hey, barf bag! Your boyfriend’s here!”

Usually that would have ruffled Tommy’s feathers. Insinuating that he pitched for the other team was for some reason, in Tommy’s eyes, the worst insult that could be hurled. Typically, it would have roused a heated response from Billy as well. His dad called him _faggot_ and _pussy_ more times than he could count. Anytime Billy showed an emotion that could be viewed as anything other than toxic masculinity, it made him less of a manly man. At least, in the eyes of his father.

But, this was Jackie that had said it. Jackie, with the long brown hair and blue crystalline eyes. Jackie, with the thousand-watt smile. The girl who could take his sarcasm and chew it up and spit it back out. The mildly freckle-faced girl who looked like sunshine but could lash out with the force of hellfire. The one who had kicked Matt Miller in his balls when he grabbed her ass in front of the entire lunch hall. His best friend’s sister. Jackie, with the… nipples he could see peaking through her satin camisole.

After a few quiet seconds of him drinking her in, she turned around to face Billy, who quickly averted his eyes from where they had been staring. “He must still be in the shower. Come on in.” She stepped back and dramatically held her hand out to display the way to the foyer. “Mi casa es su casa.”

Billy stepped inside and brushed past her shoulder with a huff. “Boyfriend, huh?” he repeated her joke. She just smirked, happy that he didn’t sound too upset about it. “At least you know who’d be the giver and who’d be the receiver.”

Jackie snorted. “You’re gross.”

Billy looked around the room. “You like it.”

She did.

“You want anything to drink?” she called out behind her as she padded barefoot to the kitchen. “Water, orange juice, coffee?”

He followed her, boots thumping on the floor with light, calm thuds. He enjoyed the way her round ass bounced beneath her satin shorts. One cheek up, one cheek down. Repeat. Like it was beckoning him. _Smack. Me. Bil. Ly. Bite. Me. Bil. Ly._ Felt like he had sex just by watching her _. God,_ he needed a smoke. He stopped at the kitchen island, separating himself from her across the room. He reached into the front pocket of his denim jacket to retrieve the crushed pack.

“Got any beer?” he fingered the pack in his hands, fumbling for a cigarette.

Jackie turned her head from the open refrigerator, fingers still on the handle. She spoke slowly, as if he was already inebriated and needed her to enunciate every word so he could understand. “It’s nine o’clock in the morning, _Hargrove_.”

Slipping the unlit stick between his lips, he mumbled between narrowed lips, “No time like the present.” He fished through his side pocket for his lighter.

“You can’t smoke that in here,” Jackie closed the door and turned to face him.

The chill from the refrigerator had made her very aware that her nipples were erect and visible through the thin, unforgiving fabric of her top. That, plus the immediate drop of his eyes from her face to her chest when she turned around. She crossed her arms and gave him an expectant look, pretending that it was about the cigarette still perched between his lips and not about the fact that he had been drooling over her chest.

“You serious?” he squinted. The Zippo lighter lid was already flipped open. She nodded, like he should have known. “ _Jackie_ ,” he said quickly, like he had said it a million times already and was exhausted. He placed his palms down on the kitchen island that separated the two of them.

“ _Billy,”_ she mimicked his tone.

He rolled his eyes. “The entire basement smells like reefer. You’re telling me your mom draws the line at _Marlboros_?”

“I’m telling you it smells gross and _I_ don’t want it stinking up _my_ living space,” Jackie countered.

If there was one thing Jackie hated about Billy, it was the fact that he smoked those Marlboro Reds like a chimney. She didn’t care about the basement. That was basically Tommy’s domain. Workout equipment, video games, billiards. Marijuana was just one of the smells that emanated from that disgusting mancave. Tommy always tried to cover it up with aerosol spray, but their parents weren’t stupid. He liked to think they were. They were merely just… apathetic. Between Dad’s constant come-and-go nature and Mom’s late-night wine drinking (every night, and sometimes mid-day), their parents just didn’t have the energy to really care or do anything about it.

“I smoke all the time,” he reminded her.

“Yeah,” she agreed immediately. “And you stink all the time, too.” It sounded harsher than what she had meant it to.

Before she could take it back, Billy chortled, “Ouch,” while he removed the cigarette from between his lips and put it back in the pack. Her face flushed pink again, mortified that she had said something so incredibly rude and hurtful to him. “You know, sweetheart, I haven’t gotten any complaints when it comes to smell.”

 _Sweetheart._ Swoon.

Jackie snorted. “So I’ve heard,” she mumbled, turning back around to open the refrigerator again, pleased that Billy had put his cigarettes away for now.

She had heard from a few girls that his balls smell like cologne. With his ego and pretty boy charm, it would come as no surprise if he prepped himself for a date by spraying on an extra layer of hairspray and dipping his balls in the same cologne he wore on his pulse points. Just like him to go on a date and anticipate that a girl’s face would end up down there.

“You know what _I_ heard?” Billy asked. Her heart skipped a beat. “I heard that you’re going to prom with Doug Nieman.”

She retrieved the orange juice from the fridge and moved to the cupboard for a glass. “Yeah, so?” she scoffed.

Doug Nieman was a fellow senior and a jackass. He was the stereotypical jock. A six-foot-tall ogre, more brawns than brains. A bully just for the fun of it. An obnoxious, showboating, grade A douchebag. _Et tu, Billy?_ Alright, he and Doug have gotten into numerous pissing contests. It all started when Billy nailed the cheer captain after he had overheard Doug and another football douchebag make a bet as to who could bed her first. He beat them both, and he wasn’t even involved in the wager.

 _“So?”_ he incredulously echoed while she went about her business. “You couldn’t have done any better than _Doug Nieman?”_ The tone of his voice made her feel a tad self-conscious. She felt like she was being reprimanded.

She took a sip of her juice and turned around to face him. She leaned against the countertop with a smirk. “You jealous?”

“Please,” Billy sneered as he slipped his jacket off, showcasing his bulging biceps in a plain red t-shirt that looked like it was maybe one or two sizes too small. He tossed it on top of the island. “Doug Nieman couldn’t get a porn star off.”

Jackie didn’t know anything about that. She was a virgin. But, she could talk a good game and no one would be any wiser. She realized Doug probably wasn’t a virgin. He was popular and athletic. Good looking _enough._ He didn’t quite have the same reputation as Billy when it came to bedpost notches; from what she knew, it was all girls he dated. Whereas Billy, well… he had a reputation for lovin’ and leavin’ ‘em.

Doug had shown interest in Jackie. When he had asked her to the prom, it was a pleasant surprise. Jackie was so excited at the idea of a boy showing interest in her that she said yes without really thinking too much into it. Billy was kind of unofficially off limits, which meant she would have to move on to the other fish in the pond. Prom was two weeks away, and she jumped at the opportunity to go. A few sophomore girls had been asked by senior boys. They were perhaps uninterested in the girls in their own class. Whatever, it didn’t matter.

She shrugged, not sure how she should respond to Billy’s comment about Doug. “Well, maybe _you_ should have asked me to the prom, then.” She tried to make it sound like a joke.

Billy looked at her with a half-annoyed look. “I don’t dance.” _Not unless it’s the Wango Tango._

Just then, Tommy came barreling down the stairs sounding like a stampede of buffalo. Billy turned when Tommy’s bare feet slapped against the cold tile floor of the kitchen. His hair was still damp, and his thin t-shirt clung to his back where he had failed to dry himself off. His basketball shorts rested low on his hips.

“Hey, man,” Tommy slapped Billy on the shoulder as he walked towards the fridge. “Airhead,” he greeted his sister with a quick ruffle of her hair. He opened the fridge and retrieved the carton of orange juice, taking a few large gulps directly from the source.

“You’re disgusting,” Jackie criticized as she fixed her hair. “Use a glass.”

Tommy lowered the carton from his lips and belched, blowing the air in her direction. Jackie twisted her face in revulsion and heaved a loud sigh of disapproval. He smiled a wide, toothy grin before returning the open carton to his lips for one more sip. Just to piss her off.

“Ugh,” Jackie gagged, “I don’t know what Carol sees in you.”

Returning the carton to its shelf in the refrigerator, Tommy wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and proudly proclaimed, “I have a big dick.”

Billy smirked and let out a barely noticeable chuckle. This was the kind of stuff he enjoyed seeing at the Hagan house. He didn’t know if he laughed at what Tommy said or the knowledge that Jackie was about to say something sarcastic, funny, and probably insulting.

“I’ve seen your dick, Tommy. It’s mediocre at best,” she didn’t miss a beat.

“Woah, why have you seen your brother’s dick?” Billy held his hands up questioningly. “Max hasn’t seen _my_ dick.”

Jackie quickly looked at Billy, recognizing that her comment sounded highly unusual without proper context. _God,_ hearing Billy say the word _dick_ so casually made her blush but tingle all over. She had to squeeze her thighs together.

“That’s because you and Max aren’t related,” Jackie responded matter-of-factly. Cocking an eyebrow, she disclosed to Billy, “Mom used to bathe us together when we were little.”

“Oh my God. Shut up, Jackie,” Tommy snapped with annoyance. Even his freckles turned red at the announcement of that tidbit of information, now out in the open for Billy to poke fun at.

“Looked like this,” Jackie held up her pinky finger for Billy to see the size comparison, completely ignoring her brother. “Well,” she paused, “maybe _this,”_ she covered part of her finger with her other hand to make it look smaller.

Billy didn’t try to hide his laughter. He and Tommy had gym class together. They’ve been naked within the same shower stalls. He has seen Tommy’s dick. Jackie was right. It was mediocre at best. Definitely shorter and thinner than his.

“That’s _impressive_ for a five-year-old,” Tommy sounded desperate as he argued. He sounded like he had a point to prove. Although, whatever it was, it wouldn’t have impressed anyone who was in the room. “But it can hardly be used for comparison _now_. That would be like me saying _‘I’ve seen your tits; your tits are small.’_ ”

Billy and Jackie eyed each other with confused expressions. His eyes darted from hers to her chest and back, and she noticed. He smirked when she crossed her arms again. It didn’t really hide her breasts like she thought it did. It pushed them up and made her cleavage more pronounced. Far be it from him, however, to be the one to say so.

“So, by your logic,” Billy spoke up and directed his hand towards Jackie, “you’re admitting that her tits are big.”

Jackie flushed but smirked. Billy was talking about her tits. _Holy. Shit._ If she squeezed her legs any tighter together, Tommy would surely make a comment about her looking like she was about to piss herself. It certainly was starting to _feel_ that way.

“What?” Tommy sounded confused. “No! Why are you taking her side?”

Billy shook his head and explained through little laughs, “I’m not taking sides, I’m just pointing out that your comeback wasn’t a comeback.” _If anything, her cups runneth over._

Embarrassed that he had been showed up by his sister in front of his very popular, very _well-endowed_ friend, Tommy tried again for a snippy retort. He looked at Jackie and struggled to come up with something on the spot. The look on her face was entertained and patient while at the same time condescending.

She raised her eyebrows and shrugged, “We’re waiting.”

He was sweating. Tommy was actually starting to sweat. His brain could not function enough to spit out an insult with his best friend watching, having already witnessed him accidentally make an unintended compliment to his sister’s breast size.

He looked at her pajamas and walked past her, grumbling for her to, “Go get dressed. You look like a slut.” He started to walk away and then turned and pointed his finger at her. “The _cheap_ kind.” With a nod of his head, he turned and resumed his previous path.

 _What a fucking moron,_ Jackie thought to herself. _What a fucking moron,_ Billy shook his head.

Tommy stomped past Billy silently and left the room. He was probably headed down to the finished basement and expected Billy to follow him. Jackie couldn’t help but snicker at the comeback— if that’s what one could call it. Her brother calling her a _slut_ was priceless, considering how often and how many places he and Carol have gotten it on. It was a little awkward, she supposed, that he said it in front of Billy.

Arms still crossed, she looked up at Billy and shrugged her shoulders with a smirk that tried to communicate _I’m not embarrassed_. Tommy hollered distantly for Billy, asking if he was coming. Billy’s tongue darted out of his mouth, and then he raked his upper teeth over his bottom lip. That turned into a smile whilst he grabbed his jacket from the island countertop. He turned on his heel and started to walk towards the foyer. Jackie blushed and bit her bottom lip, looking down at her feet to avoid staring too long at Billy.

“Jackie,” he called out, turning around when he reached the entryway to the foyer.

She snapped her head up. “Yeah?” His sandy curls looked like a halo around his head.

Billy grinned and nodded at her clothes, his eyes scanning over her one more time. “You should answer the door more often like that.”

Her heart fluttered in her chest, sending pools of red to the apples of her cheeks. _Oh, this sexual tension is going to be the death of me,_ she thought.

“Pfft,” she huffed an amused laugh. “Yeah, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” she pushed her back off the countertop and turned to grab her glass. She wasn’t really thirsty. It was just something with which she could busy herself.

Billy nodded his head and curled his lower lip as he pretended to take a second to think. “More than you know.”

She paused. They had flirted numerous times before. Sexual innuendos, staring too long, complimenting a new hairstyle or whatever. But, today was the first day that Billy had both mentioned a specific body part _and_ made a comment… _like that._

“You’re very blunt. You know that?” she tried to play coy.

He looked down and breathed out a brief laugh. “Yeah,” he nodded his head and returned his eyes to her. “Blunt. Not blind.”

He winked and shot her a crooked smile before walking out of the room. Oh, that smile. So lecherous and full of debauchery. Doug wasn’t her boyfriend. At least, not yet. Just a prom date. If Billy wanted to get into a contest over who could rev whose engine the fastest, she was going to have to up her game.


	2. Who's Zoomin' Who?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy finds himself involved in a bet that he didn't want to be involved in.

Billy hated Doug Nieman with a passion. It wasn’t that he was threatened by him. No. He truly hated the asshole. He was a prick. Thought his shit didn’t stink. Typical rich boy syndrome, thought he could have anything and everything he wanted. Tommy’s family had money, but at least Tommy and Jackie didn’t flaunt it. Doug did. Constantly talked about places he traveled, things his _daddy_ bought him— because, let’s face it, no high school senior with zero work experience could afford to buy a brand-new Audi 5000S Turbo.

Billy had the misfortune to sit in front of Doug in third period Social Studies. Even more unfortunate was that the teacher was out sick today, and the substitute had no idea what the hell they were doing. They ended up with a free period. The entire class was chatty. Students moved desks around, some even sat on the floor huddled around each other like story time. Normally, Billy would be all for a free period. He wasn’t too good at school, anyway. But, with Doug sitting right behind him, he got an earful of what his plans were for prom.

“I have it all planned out,” Doug said to the guy, Brian, sitting beside him, not even trying to be quiet about it. “I’ll get some red roses, meet the folks, promise them that their little girl will be back by eleven. Parents love that shit.”

Billy’s arms were crossed as he leaned back and listened. His shoulders shook once as he huffed under his breath. _What a tool. Doesn’t even care to find out that her favorite flowers are lilies, not roses._

Doug continued. “It’s prom night. Chances are they’ll say, _‘Just bring her home safe.’_ But, by offering to bring her home at curfew, it usually puts them at ease.”

Billy rolled his eyes. Especially when Brian said something along the lines of _that’s smart._

“She’ll probably cream just getting in your car,” said Brian. The two of them laughed and made a joke about what would be faster, the car or her panties dropping.

“I’ll have side one of Led Zeppelin IV playing in the car to get her in the mood. We’ll make out before we walk into the dance— _if_ we even get that far.”

Billy felt pretty certain that Doug was taking his dating advice from _Fast Times at Ridgemont High._ You know how many times he had made out with a girl to side one of Led Zeppelin IV? Yeah, none. Because it’s fucking stupid.

“I figure we’ll leave after I’m crowned Prom King. I’ll have the hotel key already in my pocket. Then again, maybe I’ll just fuck her in my car. I don’t know. Haven’t decided yet.” The amount of confidence in Doug’s voice was astounding. “Guess it just depends on how bad she wants it.”

Billy bit his lip, every muscle in his face clenching tightly to keep his mouth shut. This was _Jackie_ he was talking about. Referring to her like she’s just a fucktoy.

“Who are you taking again?” Brian asked, lowering his voice.

There was no shame in Doug’s response. In a normal volume, he chuckled, “Hagan’s sister. Uh… Jackie, I think her name is.”

“No shit,” Brian sounded astonished. After all, Tommy hung around in a lot of the same groups as them. Frequented a lot of the same places. That was Tommy’s scene, not Billy’s. “Does he know?”

“Hell if I know,” Doug shrugged. He didn’t seem to be too worried about it. “She might’ve told him. I don’t really care.”

“Wait, he’s not in on the bet, right? I mean, that’d be pretty fucked up if he was,” Brian pointed out.

At this, Billy’s ears perked up. _A fucking bet?_ That’s what Jackie is being reduced to?

“Nah, he’s with Carol Perkins. We’re only doing guys who take freshman and sophomore girls. Makes it more interesting when we don’t know which ones are easy. Right now it’s up to three hundred and fifty bucks.”

Billy was starting to piece things together but listened intently for more information to be divulged. His fingers dug into his own forearms. He needed to wrap them around something, but he’d get suspended if they wound up around Nieman’s neck. Then he’d have to deal with his old man, and that was a situation he just didn’t want to put himself into.

“Holy _shit_.” That _was_ a lot of money. “What’s the timeframe again?” Brian asked curiously, as if he was taking into consideration his odds to be able to get in on it.

“Right now, the bravest bet was nine thirty.” Doug raised his eyebrows and flicked his tongue suggestively. “It was me. I bet nine thirty.”

Brian laughed and mumbled under his breath, “You cocky son of a bitch.”

“In all honesty, though,” Doug sighed and knocked his knuckles against the desk, “I don’t care about the money.”

“Really?” Brian’s voice suggested skepticism. “Three hundred and fifty dollars is nothing to sneeze at,” he pointed out the obvious. “And the pot’s only gonna get bigger if more guys join in.”

“I mean, if I can get inside that little sophomore pussy before nine thirty, I’ll gladly take the money,” Doug corrected himself. “But if it’s after nine thirty, and she’s still down, I’ll fuck her ‘til her brains fall out. Money or not. Have you _seen_ her ass?” The two boys laughed. “You could bounce a quarter off o’ that thing. I just wanna sink my teeth into it.” Doug bit his knuckles dramatically.

Billy had it figured out. He had heard that a few sophomores were going to prom. Not unheard of, but these were chicks who weren’t exactly dating these douchebags. A bunch of senior guys asked freshman and sophomore girls to prom with the intent to have sex with them on prom night. Bets were placed. Times were called. If Doug fucks Jackie before nine thirty, he wins the pot. If he doesn’t, it goes to the next guy who bangs his date before the wagered time. Pretty stupid. Anyone could say they fucked anyone at a certain time. It’s based on an honor system— _Ha! Honor._ Something that none of these little fuckers have.

“Wonder if she’ll squeal like a stuck pig,” Doug continued. Brian laughed as Doug made a screeching sound to represent a pig.

Billy couldn’t take it anymore. He turned around in his seat and glared at Doug. He had hair like Harrington, only blonde. Thick, a bit on the longer side, straight but decent volume. Parted neatly to the side and curled at the ends where it was brushed behind his ears. _Probably uses Farrah Fawcett spray._ He was always baby faced because he couldn’t grow facial hair anywhere other than in small patches. His eyes were greenish brown. Like puke. Doug had a decent build but not as large as Billy’s. He was fit, but didn’t exactly have muscles. A protruding chin, perfect for punching. He was a pretty boy. Like Harrington. The difference between him and Harrington, though, was that Harrington, as far as Billy knew, wouldn’t partake in such a bet.

Doug glared at Billy, waiting for him to say something since he had been the one to turn around. Billy had a stern, serious look on his face. The look of a man who was about to kick someone’s ass.

“Can I help you?” Doug sarcastically offered, not really interested in helping him at all.

Billy spoke coldly. “Yeah. You can shut the fuck up.”

Brian’s eyes widened at Billy’s refusal to mince words. Doug turned up his symmetrical nose. “What’s your problem, _Hargrove_?”

“You’re my problem, _Nieman_ ,” he practically spit the words out.

“What’s the matter?” Doug asked him almost seriously. “You want in on some of this action?” he referred to the prom bet. “It’s fifty bucks. All sales are final.”

Billy had to look away to chuckle because if he looked at Doug’s face for one second longer he was going to grab him by his golden strands and bang his head on the desk like a drum. He shook his head and licked his lips before making eye contact again.

“You’re a real piece of shit, you know that?” Billy spoke exactly what was on his mind.

Doug leaned forward and lowered his voice. Why this, of all things, was what caused him to do that, Billy was sure he didn’t know.

“You’re one to talk, Hargrove. Bangin’ your way through Hawkins one pussy at a time,” Doug reminded Billy of how many girls he had supposedly helped himself to since arriving in Hawkins seven months ago. “Must be something kind of exotic about a grease monkey from California.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t need to make bets on any of them,” Billy responded with a sense of pride. “Jackie’s not gonna sleep with you.”

“Good,” Doug chuckled, peeking over at Brian. “Because I wasn’t planning on us sleeping.”

Billy huffed and shot him an irritated look. “You know what I mean. Jackie’s not like that. She’s not going to fuck you.”

Doug chuckled and rolled his eyes. Any girl he had ever put moves on ended up dropping her panties and bending over for him. Some sophomore bitch would be nothing. A piece of cake. Every girl wanted to be the one to bang a football player.

“Oh, you don’t think so?” Doug smirked. “Well, I bet you fifty bucks that she does.”

“Jesus,” Billy derided. “What is it with you rich bitches and making bets on everything? You seriously got nothing better to do?”

“Hey, man, if you’re too scared, you don’t have to take the bet. I know money’s kind of tight on your end of town.”

Brian silently laughed and patted Doug on the back like he had just said the mother of all insults. Billy didn’t give a shit. They weren’t poor. They weren’t rich, either. They were middle class. _Lower_ middle class. They were in the majority. Nothing wrong with that. _Grease monkey?_ Well, that means he was good with his hands. And, if he wasn’t mistaken, the ladies kind of enjoyed him for that.

“Nothing to be scared about.” Billy smirked a cocky grin of his own and chuckled out his next sentence. “ _I_ have a better chance of fucking Jackie than you do.”

 _Shit._ He didn’t mean for it to come out sounding like that. Being that she was Tommy’s sister, and he was Tommy’s friend, Jackie was off limits. What he meant was Doug didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell at getting Jackie to sleep with him. She wasn’t that kind of girl. She didn’t let her head get in the clouds like that. She was smart… he thought.

“Is that right?” Doug smiled and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he contemplated what Billy had just said.

Billy could practically smell smoke from the cogs turning in Doug’s head. Well, he couldn’t pussyfoot now. Billy Hargrove doesn’t back down. _Shit._

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Doug exchanged glances with Brian. He leaned over and whispered something into his friend’s ear. Billy rolled his eyes and rubbed his mouth at the absurdity of it. Like a pair of clucking hens. Doug nodded his head and tapped the back of his hand against Brian’s chest, essentially telling him to watch what happens next.

“Alright, Hargrove,” Doug’s arrogance was visible from a mile away. “Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is?”

“I told you,” Billy reprimanded him with a disgusted look on his face. “I don’t want any part of your little prom plot.”

“No no no,” Doug shook his head and leaned forward again, “forget that. This is a different bet.”

Billy tongued at the back of his teeth and waited for Doug to continue.

Doug drummed his long fingers on the wooden surface of his desk. “You think you can get into Jackie Hagan’s panties before I do, end of prom night—” Billy’s eyes darted around the room, hoping that no one else heard her name or was listening to the conversation. “—put some money on it. Let’s say… twenty bucks.” With a smarmy, self-satisfied grin, Doug finished, “I have a soft spot for charity cases.”

* * * * *

Billy sat at the next table in front of Jackie during study hall. The library was quiet. It always was. Made for the worst room for them to be able to hold a conversation. The librarian constantly shushed them. It’s why their seats were moved to different tables.

His knee bounced under the table while he rotated his pencil back and forth between his thumbs and index fingers. He watched as Jackie looked back and forth between her textbook and her notebook, working on equations and writing down her answers. Jackie was smart to use this time to get a head start on homework. Billy couldn’t be bothered. He was stupid— as was confirmed two class periods ago.

His dad always told him he had a big fucking mouth and didn’t know when to shut the hell up. Because of that, he found himself entered into a bet that he didn’t want to be entered into. Jackie could never know. Tommy could never find out. Billy had painted himself as far as he could into a corner, because now that he was involved in this bet, he couldn’t tell her about the _real_ bet. The prom bet that Nieman and his little football buddies were involved in.

Billy could just picture it now. He’d tell her about that prom night bet. She’d ask how he knows. Jackie, being Jackie, would confront Nieman. Probably punch him in the face, kick him in the balls, or do something as equally satisfying. And then he would spill the beans. He would say, _‘Oh yeah? Well Hargrove over there bet that he could fuck you before I could.’_ And then his friendship with Tommy (and Jackie, because let’s face it, he liked her enough to be friends with her) would be over.

 _Shit,_ he couldn’t even tell Tommy about the prom thing, if he hadn’t heard through the grapevine by now, already. Maybe not. Still, Billy knew about it. Just because Doug Nieman has a big-ass mouth.

Less than two weeks until prom. Next Friday night. He didn’t have to sleep with Jackie. He just needed to make sure that Jackie wouldn’t sleep with Doug Nieman. There was nothing saying that the two of them couldn’t _both_ lose. They keep their money, Jackie keeps her honor, he keeps her friendship. Good deal. No harm, no foul. Then Dougie runs off to wager on his next bet, whatever the hell it would be, so long as it didn’t involve Jackie. Which, why would it? If he lost a bet involving Jackie, he’d be stupid to place another one.

Billy was going to ask her out. Not on a date, or anything like that. Because it’s… well, it’s _Jackie._ Max’s friend. His friend, too, if he was being honest with himself. Tommy’s sister. The girl who would always be off limits. No, not a date. Just… going out… as _friends_ … get something to eat, maybe see a movie or something. You know… tell her not to sleep with Doug. The usual kind of things.

The nervousness he was feeling was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Billy didn’t get this way over girls. If anything, they acted this way _because_ of him. He needed to be careful to not lead her on to think that anything would happen between them. At the same time, he needed a good reason why they would be hanging out, just the two of them. They never did. When they were around each other it was always because Max or Tommy was around. Or they were in study hall, and they just so happened to already know each other and it was easier and more fun to pass the time talking shit than it was with their noses in books.

A wadded piece of paper hit him in the chest. He left his thoughts behind, peering down at the ball that had bounced onto the table in front of him. Looking up, he saw Jackie staring at him with a weird look on her face. He returned the expression. She rolled her eyes and motioned towards the balled-up piece of paper, folding and opening her hands like a book, telling him to open it and read it.

He did as he was instructed. In large, swirly handwriting was _‘_ _Stop staring, weirdo._ _’_

Billy looked back up at her and tilted his head with an annoyed glare. It wasn’t like he meant to stare. His train of thought must have led him to kind of gaze off into space, but his eyes just happened to be looking in her direction when it happened. She smiled and looked back down at her books, going back to her homework.

Billy smirked. She was cute. Any girl in Hawkins would probably give their left arm for him to look at them the way he tended to look at her. She could be annoying, but she was less annoying than all the rest.

A familiar, irritating voice drew Billy’s attention to the librarian’s desk. Doug leaned against the large desk, asking a question about some book he needed for a project. Billy saw his eyes wandering around the room, and then they landed on Jackie. Doug glanced just a few feet over and saw Billy staring at him. When their eyes met, Doug smirked. He said something else to the librarian and then started to make his way across the room towards Jackie. Billy narrowed his eyes.

Doug walked behind Jackie and tapped her on the shoulder, hurrying past her to sit in the chair on her other side. Jackie looked over her shoulder and saw no one, but then Doug placed his arm around her and leaned in close. She jumped and laughed, covering her mouth for a brief pause and peeking back at the librarian with an apologetic look for being too zealous in her reaction.

“Hey,” Doug flashed a toothy grin and then bit his lower lip.

“Hey,” Jackie whispered. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I found out from someone in the office that I could find you here,” his fingers rubbed her shoulder. “Left English class to come _check out a book_ for a report I need to write. But, I’d rather check _you_ out,” he winked.

Billy snapped his pencil in half at the cheesy pickup line. Jackie heard the noise and looked up at him. He held the pieces together and looked down at his book, pretending that the sound hadn’t come from him.

Jackie blushed and looked at Doug, shy yet giddy. “Well, aren’t you a smooth talker.”

Doug bowed his head with a soft laugh, acting just as bashful. _Acting_ being the key word. “I actually, uh,” he looked up at Billy, who was flipping through pages of a textbook, and then back at Jackie. “I was wondering if you might want to go out with me Saturday night. Go get something to eat.”

 _Motherfucker,_ Billy internally cursed at Doug stealing his plan. _Say, no, Jackie. Come on. Say no. See through this transparent douchebag._

She brushed her hair behind her ear and looked at Doug through her long lashes. Her cheeks had turned three shades of pink. “You mean, like a date?”

Doug chuckled and removed his hand from her shoulder, opting now to place it on, what Billy assumed, was her knee. He couldn’t tell for sure with two tables in the way. But judging by the way Jackie looked down and then giggled, he could only assume as much.

“Yeah, a date,” Doug confirmed, his voice soft and sweet. _And fake._ “I mean. We’re going to prom together. It would be nice to get to know each other better before then. Don’t you think?”

Jackie turned away shyly and bit her lip, trying to hide the wide smile that was tugging at her lips and cheeks. She looked back at Doug and scrunched her shoulders, maybe a little bit embarrassed.

“Yeah,” she finally agreed. “Yeah, I guess so.” 

Doug smiled. “Bitchin’. Pick you up at six?”

“Uh,” Jackie looked like a puppy. “Yeah. Shouldn’t be a problem.” Dad would probably be home but too exhausted from his travels to do anything, and Mom would probably be drunk.

Doug reached in front of her and tore a corner of her notebook paper off. The paper that she had been doing her equations on. “Why don’t you write your address down for me?”

Billy watched the scene unfold like a helpless victim. While Jackie was busy writing her address, Doug looked at Billy and slyly placed his index and middle fingers on either side of his mouth and flicked his tongue quickly a few times between them, a gross display of his intentions with Jackie. Billy was _pissed_ and couldn’t hide it. This just made Doug smile even wider. He lowered his hand when Jackie turned and gave him the piece of paper. He whispered something in her ear, eliciting a girlish giggle from Jackie, before he stood up.

Doug walked behind her and slid his hand gracefully along her shoulders as he walked away. Then, he turned and walked along the table towards Billy. At the last second, Billy kicked his foot out from under the table. Doug tripped hard, jolting Billy’s ankle and falling forward onto both his hands and knees. Jackie gasped, and the elderly librarian came power-walking over to Doug as he stood back up.

He politely waved off the librarian, assuring her that he was fine. When she walked away, he turned and glared down at Billy, who had a smug look on his face.

“Watch your step there, twinkle toes,” Billy smirked in a calm, cool voice.

Doug looked behind him at Jackie, who was staring. He decided not to say anything in that moment, opting instead to keep walking towards the aisles of books. Billy chuckled lightly and glimpsed back at Jackie, who wore a peeved expression. _Shit._ She knew he didn’t care for Doug, based on the conversation they had had at her house the other day. Billy held his hands out, silently asking _What did I do?_

“You know what you did,” Jackie said in a loud enough volume and tone that effectively communicated she was disappointed in him.

 _Well, shit,_ Billy thought to himself. _I am not off to a good start._

Billy gritted his teeth and looked around the room. He tried to think of how he could outsmart and outdo Doug. It wouldn’t be easy. The fucker had a ton of money. He could probably pull off some pretty elaborate and extravagant stunts. He would probably take her somewhere fancy. A place that Billy wouldn’t be able to afford. Like _Enzo’s_ or some shit. But, the dumbass asked for a date Saturday night, which left the entire rest of the week open. If Doug’s plan was to stretch out the week with the looming promise of a weekend date so that Jackie would feel obligated to say _no_ to any other date asked of her, well, then, Doug underestimated Billy’s creativity.

Billy grabbed his books and placidly strolled over to the chair directly in front of Jackie. He dropped his books on the tabletop with an audible thud but sat himself down quietly. Jackie looked up at him, her look of irritation gone and replaced with curiosity.

Billy mumbled something that she didn’t quite catch.

“What?” she asked louder.

He cleared his throat and said, “It was a dick move.” Jackie just nodded her head. That was the best apology Billy would probably ever give.

“Listen,” he had a trick up his sleeve. “Tommy and I are gonna meet up and see a movie right after school. Let me make it up to you. I’ll pay for your ticket and buy you a Coke and popcorn.”

“I’d say you need to make it up to Doug, not to me,” Jackie seemed uninterested.

Billy leaned his elbows against the desk and followed up with, “Well, Doug’s not exactly my type, there, sweetheart.”

Jackie stopped writing, her pencil hovering above the page while she thought. _His type?_ She looked up at him with a smirk. “What movie?”

 _Shit._ Billy didn’t know what the theater in town was playing. He hadn’t thought it through that far. All he had thought of was what he was going to tell Tommy and how he was going to get to be alone with Jackie for one-on-one time.

“Uh, I don’t know. We’ll figure it out when we get there. Just something to do. Ya know?,” he shrugged his shoulders and smirked down at her, not a hint of nervousness about him. He was laying on the charm thick.

Jackie’s mouth twitched back and forth as she considered the offer. She looked up him with her bright blue eyes and smirked an impish little grin. “Coke, popcorn, _and_ Swedish Fish.”

Billy’s face lit up as he let out a genuine laugh and looked over at the librarian busying herself with stamping cards. “You drive a hard bargain, but okay. I’ll meet you at your locker after eighth. You can ride with me.”

Jackie narrowed her eyes with a questioning look.

“Unless, you want to ride with Tommy while he drops off Carol, and, you know, be subjected to them sucking face for twenty minutes.”

Jackie made a playful gag face and stuck out her tongue, twisting her face in disgust. “Yeah, no. I’ll ride with you. Is Max coming?” she asked with excitement.

Billy shook his head. “No, she has A.V. Club, or some shit,” he waved his hand off in a random direction.

This was part of the reason today, of all days, would work out so well. That, and because _to-day_ and _Tues-day_ sounded an awful lot alike. Something that would work in his favor when he spoke to Tommy next period about going to see a movie.


	3. Misled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy and Jackie go to the movies and end up in an argument.

Billy leaned against the outer green wall of the movie theater. He looked down at his feet and smoked his cigarette while he pretended to wait for Tommy to show up. A small, involuntary smirk spread across his lips as he thought of how easy it had actually been to pull this off, how well it was working out. He knew Tommy wouldn’t be here. It was all part of his plan.

Jackie paced in front of the movie theater ticket sales booth. She audibly sighed. “It’s been twenty-five minutes. Where is he?” she asked in annoyance.

Billy looked up at the street as he exhaled a cloud of smoke away from Jackie’s direction. “My guess is probably balls-deep inside Carol’s—”

“Billy! Eww!” Jackie gasped and tittered sheepishly when Billy looked at her and winked. She resumed pacing for a few steps and then threw her hands up. “Are you sure he’s coming?” At her choice of words, Billy threw his head back and laughed. “Oh my God,” Jackie playfully scoffed when she realized why he was laughing. “What are you, twelve?”

Tossing his cigarette on the brick sidewalk, he stomped it with his toe. “Twelve and a _half_ ,” he gave her a sly smile, tongue between his teeth.

Jackie looked away to hide the smirk that was blossoming into a full-blown smile on her face. Billy was quick-witted and dirty-minded. It made her blush with embarrassment, sometimes; but, other times it made her wonder what _it_ would be like with _him._ She wondered if he talked like this with the other girls. If it was anyone else, Jackie thought she would probably be disgusted or offended. There must have been something wrong with her to look forward to his pervy talk. 

Billy was probably right about Tommy and Carol. Having the car to themselves after school was a rarity. They probably took advantage of the situation and went to Lovers Lake. Jackie shivered at the thought of sitting in the backseat tomorrow on the way to school.

With both movies starting in five minutes, and her brother still not here, the realization that she would be in a dark theater alone with Billy Hargrove suddenly sank in. Unless, she chickened out. She could tell Billy, _‘Maybe some other time.’_ After all, how weird is it that she is at the movies alone with her brother’s best friend? With _her_ friend’s brother? Who was she kidding? Billy would probably say, _‘Well, let me take you back home.’_

“Well, Jacks,” Billy pushed his back off the wall and wandered towards the ticket booth. “Looks like it’s just you and me. So, what’s it gonna be?”

Jackie paused and thought. _What does he mean? Like? Are we going in? Or, are we leaving?_ She narrowed her eyes but smiled at the new nickname.

He ignored her questioning look and reached into his back pocket for his wallet. “ _Code of Silence_ ,” he looked at her and nodded his head _yes,_ “Or, _Just One of the Guys,_ ” he shook his head _no._

Just to be a brat, Jackie enthusiastically said, “Oh! _Just One of the Guys._ Definitely.” She didn’t have any more interest in seeing the romantic-comedy than he did. Of course, Chuck Norris wasn’t exactly at the top of her list of preferences, either. But, for Billy, she would be willing to make the sacrifice.

Billy slowly turned his head and looked at her through squinted, vexed eyes. _Holy shit._ Max had said that he sometimes gets this look about him that makes him look possessed, but Jackie had never actually seen it herself. She had seen him annoyed, but this look was… dangerous. And it was _hot._ Jackie’s eyes travelled all over his face and saw the way his jaw tensed. _Oh, that jaw line. So sharp, and square, with just the hint of a five o’clock shadow._ She wanted to trace it with her tongue. When he licked his lips, she realized she must have been staring for too long.

He smirked and then turned to the attendant. “Two for _Code of Silence.”_

Jackie secretly liked how he took charge. Billy paid for the tickets and opened the door, motioning for her to walk ahead of him. She did a melodramatic curtsy and then hopped along to the concession stand. Billy couldn’t help but watch her ass in those form-fitted jeans, like it was wiggling just for him. _Shit._ Nieman’s description _was_ pretty accurate.

She leaned over the glass display case to see if they had the candy that she wanted. She knew they did, but she was dead-set on working Billy up the way he had worked her up the day before. That comment earlier about Doug not being _his type_ as the reason why he asked _her_ to the movies was exciting. Her foot popped out behind her so she stood on one leg. Not so innocently, she swung her hips while she stood in place, scanning over all the goodies available. Billy paused briefly behind her, a low groan rumbling in his throat at the tempting sight in front of him. He shook his head to avert his eyes.

The young attendant at the counter walked over and smiled at her and Billy.

“Uh, a Coke for me, and,” Billy nodded towards Jackie, digging out a few more bills from his wallet, “whatever she wants.”

As promised, he bought her a Coke, popcorn, and her Swedish Fish. He carried her drink while she handled the food, and he still managed to open the door for her to the darkening theater.

“Such a gentleman this afternoon,” Jackie smiled at him before walking through. She made sure that she had a little more bounce in her step than usual, especially since he was behind her and could see it.

He smirked at the flirtatious tone of her voice and noticed the extra wiggle. His eyes went exactly where she wanted them to go. The past seven months of flirting with this girl had made him hornier than a two-dicked billy goat. Sure, there were other girls. There had to be, otherwise his balls would have exploded by now. Billy didn’t know why he tortured himself like this with Jackie, knowing that he would get himself worked up and wouldn’t be able to do a damn thing about it. At least, not until he got home.

The theater seats were empty. For an early Monday afternoon, and a movie that had already been in theaters for several weeks, it was no surprise. They had the pick of the entire auditorium. She stopped and looked around for the best seats, choosing the very middle seats in the middle row. Right smack dab in the center of the theater. Not too close to the screen that they couldn’t see anything, but not too far away that would make them squint for darker scenes.

Billy sat next to her and handed her the drink once she got the popcorn bucket wedged between her legs. He looked down briefly at her thighs gripping the bucket and allowed himself to wonder what they would feel like around his waist. He shook the thought from his head.

“It’s a little chilly in here,” Jackie shivered in her seat.

In typical Billy fashion, he smirked and grumbled, “I know something that’ll warm you up.”

Jackie blushed and rolled her eyes at him. He wiggled his eyebrows and bit his bottom lip. “Would you be saying that if my brother were here?”

Billy huffed. “There’s a lot of shit I say to you that I wouldn’t say in front of your brother.”

Jackie blushed and thought about the implications of that statement. She bit her lip and gathered the courage to ask him, “So why do you say it?”

Billy looked at her for a moment, trying to decipher if she was being serious or playful. If she thought that maybe he had gone too far. The eye contact was almost too much for him to bear. Usually when a girl looked at him like that, he would get rid of the awkward tension by crashing his lips to hers; and, soon, they would forget about whatever it was that he had said.

He stood up and removed his denim jacket, handing it over to her. She watched him take it off to reveal his shapely biceps in a plain t-shirt. It was a good enough distraction. Without another spoken word, he held the jacket out and looked down at her with a smirk, noticing the way her hungry eyes lingered. He subtly flexed his muscles so they would appear bigger.

“Thanks,” she grinned, taking the jacket and handing him the popcorn bucket so she could stand and slip it on.

It smelled like him. Like Marlboros and cologne, particularly at the collar. While the smell of his cigarettes was something less than appealing, she focused on the cologne. The sweet and musky scent of Billy Hargrove. The jacket was still warm from the heat of his own body. She swam in it, her body so much smaller than Billy’s. This was feeling like a date— he paid for her, held the door, gave her his jacket, made suggestive comments. Far be it from her to say anything, though.

As the movie played, Billy reached his hand over a few times and grabbed some popcorn from the bucket that rested between her thighs. His arm brushed against hers every time, causing her breath to catch and her thighs to tighten just the smallest amount. During one of the grabs, he used his opposite hand and put the arm closest to her around the back of her seat. He kept it there. It gradually moved and readjusted until his fingers were touching the shoulder of the jacket. Jackie noticed. She smirked but said nothing.

During a particularly loud, jumpy part of the film, Jackie had suddenly jerked in surprise. Her hand flew out to the side and grabbed his leg just above his knee. Her fingers squeezed him through his jeans as her eyes were glued to the screen. Billy looked down at her hand and then over to her face. He smirked because it seemed as if she didn’t realize what she had just done. But he stayed still, too afraid to clear his throat or move his leg for fear that it would prompt her to remove her hand. After a few minutes, her fingers relaxed and didn’t hold him as tight; and then, she must have realized where they were. Her hand slinked back into her own lap without a word.

The drive home was starting to feel awkward. He knew he wanted to have this conversation with her but it wouldn’t be an easy one to have. Jackie was still wearing his jacket, and Billy wanted a cigarette. Scratch that— _needed_ a cigarette. He was on edge. He sighed. Without even taking his eyes off the road, he reached his hand over to pull the crushed pack from the breast pocket of the jacket. Jackie’s eyes widened, for the cigarettes were quite literally at her breast.

“Excuse you,” Jackie grabbed his hand and shoved it away, releasing a soft, embarrassed chuckle.

“Don’t get your panties in a twist, princess,” he resumed his standard, teasing tone with her. “Just trying to get my smokes,” Billy replied as if she had overreacted. He went to reach for the cigarettes again since he had explained himself.

Jackie chuckled and pushed his hand away again. “Could you maybe do it without fondling my tits?” She reached into the pocket herself to pull out the pack of Marlboros for him.

“You would _know_ if I was fondling your tits,” Billy said with a sarcastic edge as he snatched the pack away from her. _Although the thought of touching them has crossed my mind on more than one occasion._

“Yeah, okay,” Jackie said in a mocking tone.

The car ride became silent again as he lit the cigarette and took a long, drawn out puff. He put the window down and directed the smoke away from Jackie. He kept looking over at her, opening his mouth like he was about to say something and then closing it again as he looked at the road.

Jackie noticed this and huffed with fake annoyance. “Out with it, already,” she smiled and looked at him.

He stared at her for a few seconds before directing his attention back to the road. Billy licked his lips and struggled to find the words that wouldn’t sound so domineering or jealous. “So, Saturday…” he said, leaving the rest of his thoughts just hanging in the air.

Jackie waited and looked at him, puzzled about the two words he had just said. But, he didn’t finish. “Yeah? What about it?”

His eyes twitched back and forth between her and the road again. “You, uh,” he swallowed hard and hoped she hadn’t noticed. “You lookin’ forward to your date with Nieman?”

Jackie shrugged her shoulders and looked ahead at the road. “Yeah, I guess.”

“You don’t sound very enthused,” Billy pointed out with a slightly cocky tone.

 _I’d rather you ask me out on a date._ She sighed.

“Maybe you should cancel it,” Billy suggested seriously as he took another puff and awaited her response.

Jackie rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to cancel my date.”

“Why not? You like him?” Billy tried to sound interested but really was just fishing for information.

Jackie again shrugged her shoulders. “I mean, I don’t really _know_ him.”

“So, then why did you say _yes_ when he asked you to prom?” at this point Billy let his frustration about the situation be more visible to her. “Don’t you think that’s a little weird that he asked you?”

“You sound jealous,” Jackie said, hoping that he would admit that he was. “Are you jealous?”

“Of Doug? Please,” Billy replied condescendingly.

“Well, then, what is it? Would you still be upset if someone else had asked me to prom and I said _yes?”_

Billy looked at her, feeling completely exposed. _Yes, probably,_ he thought to himself. “Don’t be ridiculous,” he sneered.

Billy had a reputation. One that he didn’t want to follow Jackie around. Surprisingly, Tommy had confronted him early on in their friendship about the way he looked at her. After a few weeks of seeing how Billy got around with the girls at school, he made it clear that Billy wouldn’t be doing that with his sister. Which surprised the hell out of Billy that Tommy had the balls to say something about it. Billy could easily take Tommy in a fight, but Tommy was the first person who was willing to be his friend without any type of expectations in return. Not for cool points, not so he could help him get girls. And, even though he had rolled his eyes at Tommy during the conversation and downplayed the way he looked at Jackie as just being the way he looked at everyone, he respected the hell out of him for it.

But, he hadn’t expected to get to know Jackie as well as he did. After all, he never had friends who were girls. Fate brought them together more often than he thought he would see her when she decided to be friends with Max, too. He couldn’t afford to get attached and then be let down, like his own Mother had let him down. He hadn’t intended on being friends with her; and, he certainly hadn’t expected to fall for her. It just complicated matters. Went against his own set of rules.

Jackie laughed with frustration after several minutes of what seemed to have turned into an argument. “I don’t see why it’s such a big deal to you.”

“Because I know guys like Doug, Jackie,” Billy hit his palm lightly against the steering wheel, ash falling from the cigarette trapped between his fingers. “They’re only after one thing.”

“Oh, that’s rich, coming from _you,”_ Jackie retorted. Billy shot her a look that almost looked like he was hurt. _Okay, maybe that was a low blow._

“There’s a difference between _saying_ stuff and actually _doing_ it,” Billy defended his flirtatious nature with her. “Have I _ever_ made you uncomfortable?”

Without missing a beat, she nodded and vehemently answered, “Yes.”

Billy scoffed. Jackie rolled her eyes. “It’s just a date. No one’s saying I’m going to _sleep_ with the guy.”

 _Shows how much **you** know_, Billy thought to himself.

“Do you _want_ to?” Billy asked.

Taken aback by the brazen inquiry, Jackie snapped to look at him, mouth agape. She couldn’t believe she was having this conversation with Billy. She wouldn’t even have this conversation with Max. With whom and when she decided to have sex would be between her and that person. She didn’t envision herself as ever being the kiss and tell sort. _Okay, maybe she’d blab to Max about a kiss, but that’s it._

Truth be told, Jackie hadn’t even thought about it. Not with Doug, at least. She hardly knew him; definitely, she didn’t know him as long or as well as she knew Billy. She had thought about it with Billy though. Especially on those extremely sexually frustrating days where they exchanged sexual innuendos and stolen glances that lasted too long. The forbidden lust between younger sister and brother’s best friend. But, as Tommy had told her, Billy sleeps with a lot of girls and sticks with none of them. _Don’t be one of them._ Billy looked back and forth between the road and her, his expression humorless.

“Just because my brother has sex anywhere and everywhere doesn’t mean that I do. You think I’d put out after _one date,_ Billy? I know you and I joke around a lot, but _Jesus_.” Jackie scolded him, offended that he would even ask such a thing. “You must not think very highly of me.”

“That’s not what I said. I asked if you _want_ to,” Billy looked at her seriously and repeated his initial question. He tossed the cigarette out the window after it had burned down to nearly nothing.

Jackie paused and realized that he was correct. He had asked her if she wanted to. Not really, but maybe she should. Maybe she should want to get it over with. The first time is pretty awful anyway, right? Awkward and painful, from what she had heard. Not at all sexy. With Doug graduating in less than a month and likely moving away for college, she probably wouldn’t have to see him much. Wouldn’t have to pass him in the halls daily with the dreaded memory of how awful she was at sex constantly popping up in her mind any time she saw him. It could be a learning experience. One that she gets out of the way so that when she dates someone that she _really_ likes and wants to spend the rest of her life with, she’s better at it.

She looked away from Billy and ahead at the road. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

 _She has a point_ , Billy supposed. It’s not like they, themselves, were dating. She wasn’t his responsibility. He was crossing a line. But even if she wanted to, it was just a game to Doug. It wouldn’t mean anything to _him._

“If and when I decide to have sex, you’re not exactly at the top of my list of people to tell,” Jackie interrupted his thinking.

Billy snapped his head to look at her. _If and when._ He had definitely heard that part. _Christ, she’s a virgin. That makes this even worse._ The bet sickened him that much more. It wasn’t about Doug winning the money or not, it was about Jackie being the laughingstock of the football team, or perhaps of the whole school. And now, it was about her first time being broadcasted for all of Hawkins High School to hear. She deserved better than that.

“All I’m saying,” Billy sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger, “is that sometimes, guys expect things from girls—”

“ _Oh my God_ , Billy, can you just—”

“Especially,” he interrupted her, talking loudly so she could hear him over her arguing, “when it comes to something monumental, like prom night. And they might pressure them into it by telling them that it’s a special night.”

Her cheeks were scarlet, and her heart was pounding faster. She didn’t know why, but she felt like at any minute she could cry. Maybe it was from embarrassment. Maybe it was just from being flooded with an overwhelming amount of emotions— anger, sadness, heartache, frustration. She wasn’t sure, exactly. All she knew was that she didn’t want to cry in front of Billy. She had seen how he handles Max when she cries. _‘Oh, Jesus Christ. Get your shit together. You gotta develop thicker skin than that. Don’t be such a crybaby.’_

With annoyance in her voice, she grabbed at her knees. “Can you _please_ just _drop it?”_

 _You’re a fucking idiot,_ Billy thought to himself. _Just tell her. Tell her everything. She’ll understand. Maybe she’ll be mad for a few minutes at what you said, but then you two will laugh it off._ He looked over at her in time to see her sigh and prop her elbow on the edge of the door. She leaned her head against her hand and wore a facial expression that showed her discomfort and aggravation at the current situation.

“Yeah, okay,” Billy conceded, hoping to lighten the mood again with Jackie. He hadn’t meant to upset or embarrass her. He was just trying to look out for her because he didn’t want to see her get hurt. To show that he wasn’t angry, he reached over and ruffled her hair atop of her head.

“Ugh! I _hate_ when you do that!” Jackie snapped, combing her fingers through her hair to calm the mess that Billy had created.

“What?” Billy asked innocently, unsure of why she hadn’t just laughed it off like she always did. It was only meant to lighten the moment.

“Treat me like I’m a _kid,_ ” Jackie barked and then crossed her arms at her stomach.

It wasn’t just the hair rustling that did it. The _talk_ — warning her about how guys try to get into girls’ panties on prom night, like she had just been born yesterday— irked her, as well. Like he didn’t have the confidence in her that she would be able to say _no_ if it came down to it. Like _he himself_ hadn’t been one of those horndog boys that he was talking about. That he had said anything to her about it at all.

Billy parked in the driveway at the Hagan house and got out of the car when Jackie opened her door and exited. She walked slowly until he caught up with her and then resumed her path to the front door. She realized that she was still wearing his jacket and slipped it off.

“Thanks for the jacket,” she handed it back to him once they reached the front door.

“Don’t mention it,” he accepted the jacket and shrugged it back on, then looked down at his boots and scuffed the pavement.

There was a tension between them. It had been there since they got into the car. Jackie and Billy had never really argued before. The subject at hand made it all the more uncomfortable. She didn’t want to leave with it hanging over their heads.

“About earlier. I’m sorry—”

“No,” Billy interrupted her while gazing into her ocean blue eyes. “I was out of line. It’s none of my business who you…” he struggled to think of the correct word for the topic and rolled his wrist, trying to capture the word from thin air.

“Look, I _know_ you don’t like him,” she stated the obvious.

There was no need to say his name. Doug had been the source of the tension the whole car ride. She figured the reason for him and Billy not caring too much for each other was because they viewed each other as a threat. Sort of like the one male lion per pride kind of thing. Hawkins was a small town and wasn’t big enough for the both of them type bullshit. Sure, Doug could be an asshole, just like Billy could. The popular kids usually were. But, he had never been an asshole to her. And, unlike Billy, Doug had the balls to ask her out.

“And I know that you think he’s an asshole—”

“He _is_ an asshole,” Billy corrected her immediately.

Jackie pouted at him disapprovingly. He stared at her, standing behind what he said one hundred percent.

“Why don’t you even want to give him a chance?” Jackie held her hands out and shrugged. “Maybe he’s nice to me.”

Billy sighed and almost replied snappily, “Because, Jackie.” He spoke a little softer once he realized his tone. “You don’t hear the kinds of things he says about,” … _you…,_ “girls.”

Jackie rolled her eyes. “A lot of boys say pervy things about girls. Look at _you._ You say perverted stuff to me _all the time_.”

“That’s different,” Billy defended. _Different because you’re a willing participant. Because it’s **to** you not **about** you. _Then he paused and thought. He recalled saying something along the lines of standing a better chance at _fucking Jackie_ than Doug Nieman did, and he felt guilty. He was hardly any better for her.

“ _How_ is that different?” Jackie threw her hands up in the air, her voice getting louder because Billy was one of the most frustrating individuals she had ever had the pleasure of being around.

“It just is!” Billy raised his voice back. His eyes wide and his jaw tense.

“You think I can’t take care of myself?” Jackie questioned coolly, feeling like he viewed her as some damsel in distress who needed to be protected and sheltered. Or, like a kid.

“I think you can do better,” Billy nodded his head and responded without hesitation. “You _deserve_ better.”

“Oh yeah?” Jackie asked with humor in her voice. “Who do you recommend?”

They stared at each other, and suddenly Jackie felt butterflies in her stomach the way Billy was looking at her. There had been playful glances, and winks, and smiles before. But, this felt different. This felt, electric, like there was a charge in the air between them, tingling in all the right places. His chest rose with a strong inhale, and he exhaled roughly, never breaking eye contact.

 _If Billy won’t make a move, then maybe I should. Show him that I’m not some kid._ Jackie stepped forward, just a foot of space separating them. Her eyelashes fluttered up to meet his gaze with hers. His breathing quickened faintly but he remained unmoved. She noted the five o’clock shadow barely visible from yesterday’s shave and wondered how it would feel against her own sensitive skin. Her eyes dropped down to his lips, parted just enough that they seemed inviting. He couldn’t help but repeat the same action himself. He licked his lips subconsciously at the sight of her pink pout just barely parted. And then, she started to raise herself on tippy toes and tilted her head.

Billy’s hands shot out and grabbed her shoulders, stopping her. “Jackie,” he sighed, sounding disappointed.

She stopped and allowed her feet to plant themselves flat on the sidewalk again. “What?”

He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to ravish her. Push her up against the door, entangle his fingers through her hair, kiss her until their lips were numb and then some. But, it would complicate things. And she was better than him. She deserved better than him.

His eyes softened when they met, but then he looked away. She looked up at him, feeling dejected and embarrassed. Had she misread the signs? Had she just made a fool out of herself? The front door opened, and the two teens jumped away from each other.

Tommy stepped outside barefoot and held his hands out in a questioning manner, looking back and forth between Billy and his sister. “Where the _hell_ have you been?” he said to Jackie.

Feeling the tears coming on, Jackie turned around and pushed past Tommy, ignoring his question and slamming the door behind herself.

Tommy looked at the door and then back at Billy. Motioning behind himself with his thumb, he asked, “What was that all about?”

Billy shrugged and tried to play it off as nothing. “I don’t know. Maybe she’s mad at you.”

“Me? What’d I do?” Tommy asked skeptically.

Billy felt like an absolute asshole, continuing his web of lies. “You didn’t show up for the movie.”

Tommy shot a surprised look to Billy and threw his hands in the air. “You said _Tuesday!”_

“No,” Billy held his finger up to correct Tommy. “I said _to-_ day. Today. Why the hell would I say _Tuesday_ when it’s tomorrow? I would have just said _tomorrow_.”

Jackie leaned against the door momentarily while she listened to Tommy and Billy outside and felt confused. Earlier that day, she had wondered if this had been some sort of ploy to get her alone, to maybe make a move on her. After all, he didn’t ask her out until he had seen that Doug did. She was hoping that perhaps a spark of jealousy would be all that was needed for him to finally make a move with asking her out. She knew all about the cheer captain story, how Billy just _had_ to get to her first. But then, when she tried to kiss him, he stopped her. Maybe Billy’s flirtation really was just his personality and didn’t really mean anything special. Maybe the movie was just his way of apologizing for what he did earlier to Doug. Maybe she really didn’t stand a chance with Billy, after all.


	4. We Don't Need Another Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jackie's date with Doug goes awry.

Doug guided Jackie with his hand at her lower back to the passenger seat of his car. He opened the door for her and closed it, like a gentleman, once she was comfortably inside. He walked around the car until he was back in the driver’s seat and looked at his watch. It was not quite yet eight o’clock.

They had just finished their dinner at Enzo’s. An impressive restaurant for a high school boy to take a date. The stringed quartet playing throughout their meal along with the low lighting made for an atmosphere that was extra romantic, but she just wasn’t feeling it. Doug had held the door for her and even ordered for her. But, there were no sexual innuendos. No familiar winks from across the table with tongue in teeth to send shivers down her spine. Not that she wanted Doug to be anything other than a gentleman on this date; she just missed the way that she felt when she had a moment alone with Billy. So used to Billy’s sexual prowess, she was left significantly disappointed when it came time to actually go on a real date with someone else.

“It’s still kind of early,” Doug leaned back in his seat, ran his fingers back through his blonde hair, and looked at her with a small grin. “There’s a get-together at Lovers Lake tonight,” he looked at her optimistically. “Want to check it out?”

Jackie’s eyes widened. _Lovers Lake. Already?_ People only went to Lovers Lake to do one thing. She wiped her palms against the soft, cotton fabric of her blue sundress, tugging it down further to cover her knees.

“Um,” Jackie chuckled nervously. “I don’t know.”

She had told herself that maybe she should just sleep with Doug, if it seemed like things were headed in that direction. Get that first, bad, awkward experience out of the way. Now that she was being asked to Lovers Lake so much sooner than she had anticipated, she was having second thoughts.

“Come on,” Doug pleaded in a sing-song voice. “I swear, it’s a few people from school, and it’s only at Lovers Lake because of the amount of parking.” Doug saw the doubtfulness in Jackie’s eyes as they wandered everywhere but on him. “I promise to be a gentleman.” She looked at him hesitantly. “Scout’s honor,” he held up three fingers to pledge his promise. His bright, white smile seemed to illuminate the inside of the car beneath the dusk to dawn lights of the restaurant parking lot.

Jackie chuckled and bit her lip. Going to Lovers Lake with a boy on the first date was not something she ever envisioned herself doing. It was a surefire way to get rumors started if anyone were to see them there together in the same vehicle.

Doug chuckled and leaned in a little closer, placing his elbow on the center console. “Come on,” he cooed smoothly. “Free beer, sitting around a fire by the lake, music that our parents hate. It’ll be fun.” He held up his hands in innocence. “No hanky panky.”

Jackie didn’t often go to high school parties. It was too much drinking and weed consumption for her liking. Her brother became really stupid and obnoxiously loud when he drank. She couldn’t imagine being in a closed off space with fifty plus people exactly like him. Next school year would be different. She could go to all the high school parties she wanted without worrying about being around her brother.

Doug leaned his head back against the seat and bit his bottom lip as he smiled at her. He didn’t look away, and it made her feel a tad uncomfortable. She supposed that going to a party wouldn’t be the worst thing that she could do, but she did wonder if there was really a party or if it was just a scheme to get her alone at Lovers Lake. She wondered, if the latter were true, if she would be willing to take that step. If she _would_ have the conviction to say _no_ under his intense gaze.

“Okay,” Jackie finally agreed, feeling somewhat pressured to make a good impression of being a _fun date_ to Doug. “Maybe for a little bit we can check it out.”

Doug smiled so wide that it reminded her of the Joker from the old Batman TV series. He started the engine and began to back out of the parking space.

“I didn’t know you were a Boy Scout,” Jackie smirked and continued the conversation as she fastened her seatbelt.

Doug chuckled back, shifting the car into drive. “I wasn’t.” 

When they arrived at Lovers Lake, Jackie was relieved to see so many cars parked along the grassy view overlooking the water. Below, in the distance, she saw a crowd of people around a bonfire along the small beachy area. Doug had been telling the truth about a party; it was a pleasant surprise that this wasn’t just some trick to get her to agree to a trip to Lovers Lake to be alone.

Jackie and Doug walked hand-in-hand in front of several parked cars to get to a clearing where there was a path leading down to the beach. One car was rocking back and forth rather heavily; the shocks squeaked with every sway of the car. Jackie was thankful that it was too dark at this point for Doug to turn around and see the blush on her cheeks as they walked past and heard faint moans from behind closed windows. She heard Doug laugh ahead of her, probably at the scene he saw. Jackie did her best to not look, turning her head the opposite way.

Then she saw Billy’s Camaro. Her heart sank at the sight of it as she thought about him being here with another girl. At least it wasn’t rocking like the car they had just passed, which meant that Billy was probably down by the lake still. She tried to mentally prepare herself for seeing his tongue jammed halfway down some other girl’s throat. The thought alone made her head drop with disappointment.

She slipped off her black, strappy sandals when she reached the sand. It was cooled from the sun’s absence and rough between her toes. Music played from a battery-operated boombox resting on a large log by the fire. Couples danced together around the beach, grinding provocatively to _Lick it Up_ by KISS. Jackie recognized most of the partygoers as seniors, knowing a few of them through her brother. There must have been a good fifty people there, at least.

Doug wrapped his arm around Jackie’s waist as they approached a group of boys. She felt out of place as Doug greeted and engaged in conversations with his friends after making quick introductions. She really had nothing to say to them, and they didn’t ask her any questions or seem interested in talking with her either. Another reason why she didn’t frequent parties: unless she went there with someone close or knew other attendees very well, it was likely to be a lonely experience.

Jackie looked around for Billy, and, in the process, spotted her brother and his girlfriend Carol making out on a blanket near the fire. She would recognize that red tuft of hair anywhere. Jackie made a disgusted face and estimated that they would be screwing within the next ten minutes based on how hot and heavy they appeared to be.

She finally found Billy, sitting on a log, nursing a beer, staring blankly into the fire. He appeared to be alone and deep in thought. As the flames danced before him, Jackie couldn’t help but notice how the flickering light accentuated every curve of his muscles in the barely buttoned shirt he was wearing. Behind him, movement caught her eye. There were two coolers a few feet away from him, and someone walked up to retrieve a beer from one of them.

Jackie started to pull away from Doug’s arm. “I’m going to go get something to drink. Do you want anything?”

Doug looked at where Jackie was pointing and nodded his head. “Yeah, whatever’s available,” he smiled and gave her waist a gentle squeeze as she slipped away from him.

Jackie slowly walked towards the coolers, thinking of what she would say to Billy when she got to him. Ever since that day at the movies, they hadn’t interacted much. Things felt different between them. Felt weird. She didn’t like it. Billy had acted strange all week at school when she saw him. He was friendly enough. He would give a half-smile when he saw her, acknowledged her in passing; but, he kept to himself during their study hall. There were no sexual references, no naughty gestures, no flirtatious winks. Just a lot of gum chewing and knee bouncing. She kicked herself for trying to kiss him, spoiling a fun thing that they had between themselves. She would rather have the flirting that led nowhere rather than this uncomfortable tension between them where he hardly even looked at her.

She thought for sure that her heartbeat would give her away as she approached, thumping harder the closer she got to him. “Hey, Billy,” she said casually as she walked past him to the cooler.

“Hey, Jackie,” Billy mumbled as he took another sip of beer. He did a double take and pushed himself up from where he sat. “Jackie?!” he asked with surprise, as if he just now realized who she was.

Jackie bent over and peered inside the cooler she just opened. Nothing but Schlitz beer. She opened the next cooler. Schlitz. She sighed, not really knowing why she expected to find anything other than crappy beer. She dropped her shoes in the sand and grabbed two beers. The ice was partway melted, and the cans were freezing cold and wet.

Billy walked up behind her, startling her when she turned around. “What are you doing here?” Billy asked as if he were somewhat entertained at the notion of seeing her at the party.

“Just… getting some drinks,” Jackie responded, showing him the cans dripping in her hands.

Billy tensed his jaw. “Where’s _Doug?”_ he had to swallow the vomit back down at the mere mentioning of his name.

Jackie nodded her head in the direction from which she just came. “Over there. Talking to his friends.”

Billy smirked and cocked his head to the side. “And he sent you over here to fetch him a drink, did he?” Billy clicked his tongue disapprovingly and took another swig. “What a loser.”

“For your information,” Jackie didn’t know why she was getting so defensive, “I _offered_ to get us drinks.”

“But he didn’t try to be chivalrous and insist on getting them himself, did he?” he smugly guessed.

Jackie didn’t see what it mattered. She didn’t mind being the one to walk over and get the drinks. After all, retrieving the beer was the secondary goal. First was to get Billy’s attention and talk with him. She hated not getting the same attention from him that she did before.

“Who are you here with?” Jackie changed the subject, eager to know who the competition was that she lost against.

“Billy,” Tommy came running up behind him, panting and red in the face. “Gimme your keys, man,” he held out his hand expectantly for Billy to grant his command.

Billy turned around and smirked at the look of desperation. “Get fucked, Tommy.”

“I’m trying!” Tommy snapped with wide eyes, grinning like a fool after he said it. Tommy’s eyes flittered to Jackie, back to Billy, then back to Jackie again. His expression changed from desperation to admonishment. “What are _you_ doing here?” he placed his hands on his hips.

“What’s it look like?” Jackie asked sarcastically.

“Did Doug bring you here?” he narrowed his eyes, sounding like a protective older brother. It was a sound she wasn’t used to hearing often.

“Calm down,” Jackie wanted him to lower his voice. “One beer and we’re gone. Okay?”

“Uh-uh,” Tommy stood up straight and wagged his finger back and forth in irritation with a shake of his head. “I don’t like that he brought my baby sister to Lovers Lake. Where is that motherfucker?” Tommy started looking around trying to spot Doug in the crowd.

“Yeah, you should probably go kick his ass,” Billy said with a straight face, but Jackie could hear his excitement at the thought of someone, anyone, pummeling Doug Nieman bloody.

“We’re not going to _do_ anything,” Jackie said through clenched teeth, keeping the volume low enough within their circle to not draw attention. “He took me out to dinner then mentioned there was a party here. He promised to be a complete gentleman.”

“Oh, well if he _promised,”_ Tommy used air-quotes with his fingers and spoke with a mocking tone. “You know what, Jackie? I promised Carol’s dad the same thing when we went to the spring formal in seventh grade. And then she jerked me off behind the bleachers,” he made an obscene gesture to emphasize his point as he spoke.

Billy laughed with the beer can to his lips. “Shit.” He hadn’t known that story.

Jackie let out a rattled, revolted groan at the vision implanted in her brain of her brother with Carol. “I’m not like that,” she defended.

“Well, maybe Doug _is_ ,” Tommy spat back.

Jackie looked at Billy who gave her a smirk and a shrug, almost as if he were saying, _‘I told you so.’_

“Maybe Doug is _what?”_ asked Doug as he approached from behind Tommy.

Tommy turned and watched him walk over to Jackie, placing his hand on her lower back. Doug stood a few inches taller than Tommy. His build was leaner than Tommy’s, too. Jackie saw an initial look of embarrassment on Tommy’s face as he stared wide eyed with his mouth slightly open, not quite sure what to say. She looked at Billy. It was obvious that he was standing taller, shoulders back, chin up and eyes boring into Doug’s.

When Tommy didn’t say anything back, Doug looked at Billy. “What’s up, Hargrove?” he grinned with a friendly attitude, wrapping his hand around Jackie’s waist and pulling her against his side.

“Nieman,” Billy growled.

“What are you doing here with my little sister?” Tommy asked, taking a step closer.

“Relax,” Doug answered smoothly, not nervous or shaken up one bit by Billy’s or Tommy’s posturing. “We had dinner at Enzo’s. The night was still young, and I told her that there was a get-together here. What’s the problem?”

“The problem, _Doug,_ is that you brought my little sister to Lovers Lake,” Tommy pointed out, his agitation at the situation growing. “What, you planning on getting some alcohol in her and then showing her your backseat?” Tommy motioned to the beers still in Jackie’s hands. “Give me those,” he reprimanded as he snatched them from her hands and gave one to Billy.

“Tommy,” Jackie pleaded, utterly embarrassed not only by how Tommy was behaving towards her date, but the things that he had just said.

“Not at all,” Doug scoffed, seemingly insulted by what Tommy was implying. “There wasn’t anything else going on tonight after we had dinner—”

“Then take her home,” Tommy raised his voice. “That’s what you do when a date is over.”

Billy’s heartbeat quickened as he wondered if Tommy knew about the bet, but then he shook that thought from his head. The way Tommy was handling things right now, he would have flat out told Jackie. Would have called Doug out on it, if he knew. Billy felt like a coward, knowing the things that he knew and not saying anything, letting Tommy handle the current situation. With Doug right here though, he couldn’t say anything. He ran the risk of being exposed, too.

At this point, Carol wandered over. Her arms were crossed as she cautiously approached the small group. “Tommy. Babe. Is everything okay?” she asked, placing her hand on his forearm.

“Tommy, why are you being such a dick?” Jackie scolded him. “You’re embarrassing me.”

“I mean,” Tommy ignored his sister. “What kind of a guy brings a girl to Lovers Lake on their first date anyway?”

“Maybe you should ask Hargrove that question,” Doug immediately answered with a chuckle.

Jackie’s eyes shot to Billy. He sucked his tongue against his teeth and looked down then chuckled. He looked back up and brought the can of beer back up to his lips. She watched his Adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallowed the remaining liquid. She knew how aggressive he could be once he had some alcohol in him, and she knew that he was drinking right now only to fill his mouth so that he wouldn’t lash out.

“Doug, come on, just take me home,” Jackie started to walk away, wishing she could shrink to a microscopic size because of how embarrassed she was.

Tommy’s hand reached out and grabbed her arm. She stopped and looked at him. He never moved his eye’s from Doug. “We’ll take her home.”

Doug raised his hands innocently, “I don’t mind taking her home.”

“Tommy—”

Tommy turned his head quickly to look at her. His jaw tensed. “You want Dad to know where you were tonight?”

Jackie raised her eyebrows. Dad was home from his business trip, and she was his little princess. No way did she want Dad to know that she had gone to a party at Lovers Lake. That she had gone to Lovers Lake _with a boy._ That she had gone to Lovers Lake _period._ To him, it would be no surprise that Tommy was there. He was, after all, a boy; and, _boys will be boys._ They often did things that girls probably shouldn’t do… at least, not his little princess.

“You do realize I’m taking her to prom, right?” Doug brought up, trying to use that bit of information as allowance for him to take her home tonight. “I’m perfectly capable of driving her home.”

“Great,” Tommy returned his burning gaze to Doug. “Then I guess we won’t be seeing you ‘til Friday night, then.” They locked eyes in a stare-down.

Jackie sighed and blinked a few times, desperately trying to hold back tears. “Doug,” she shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’ll see you Friday, okay?”

Doug wiggled his jaw back and forth as he thought about what to do. Getting into a physical altercation with Tommy probably wouldn’t bode well for him— at least not for what he wanted next Friday night. He looked at Tommy. Even his freckles seemed to be red with anger. Then he looked down at Carol, latched onto Tommy’s arm like a leech. She was smirking a condescending, shit-eating grin as her boyfriend showed a level of dominance that turned her on even more than she was already. Then, he looked at Billy, who popped open the tab of the beer that had been meant for _him_. Billy smirked and took a long gulp. The two of them stared at each other for a moment not saying anything.

Doug smirked and looked back at Jackie. “Alright, Jackie,” he nodded his head and said softly. “I’ll see you on Friday, then.”

When he walked beside her, he stopped. She looked up at him and gave an apologetic smile. He placed one hand in hers and pressed the other to the back of her head as he lowered his lips to her own.

The kiss had surprised her. Especially since it was in front of her brother after the two had just engaged in a dick measuring contest. It was surprising, but unfortunately unpleasant. His tongue was like a snake’s, darting all over her mouth and slithering its way inside. Rough and sloppy. Jackie let out a muffled grunt that he mistook for a pleasure-filled moan, but really it was a startled response.

Billy gnashed his teeth together, feeling his pulse in his neck and hearing it echo in his ear canals. Beer shot out of the hole in the top of the can when his fingers tightened and squeezed the aluminum. His free hand clenched into a fist, knuckles turning white from the pressure.

“Hey!” Tommy yelled, reaching over Jackie’s shoulder and pushing Doug’s arm forcefully with his hand.

Doug stumbled back a step and broke the kiss. Jackie brought her hand up to her mouth to subtly wipe away the slobber that Doug had left behind. He smiled and shot a quick look to Tommy, then Billy. Looking back down at Jackie, he lightly squeezed her fingers in his and said, “Bye, Jackie. I had a nice time with you tonight.”

Jackie politely and softly responded, “Yeah, me, too. Thanks for dinner.” Doug walked away, but Jackie didn’t watch him for long.

“Can you _believe_ that guy?” Carol chortled, bringing her hand up to Tommy’s face so that he would look at her. “Baby, you were so hot,” she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

It was like as soon as Doug disappeared, Jackie had turned invisible. Tommy’s attention was now back to Carol, mission completed. He mumbled something to her as Jackie knocked her shoulder against him when she walked past to go towards the water. She overheard him ask for the keys to the Camaro again to which Billy had denied him and told him and Carol to just walk into the woods a bit.

Jackie marched down the beach until she nearly reached the still water. No one else was down this far, and it allowed her to have some time alone to cry and pull herself back together. She sat down in the sand and crossed her arms to keep warm, feeling instantly chilled from the cool sand against the back of her thighs and the breeze sweeping off the lake. The moon was bright tonight. It reflected off the water as it rippled in the light wind.

Everything that had happened tonight at Lovers Lake pissed her off. It was bad enough when Billy did it, but now her brother was treating her like a kid. She was at least thankful that Billy had kept his mouth shut for the duration of that interaction. He at least showed some self-restraint, unlike her brother.

Doug couldn’t have been the horrible monster that Tommy and Billy were making him out to be. He had walked away. He didn’t make threats, didn’t push back. He hadn’t lied to her just to trick her into going to Lovers Lake with him; there was an actual party with all the things he said there would be. He was told to leave, and he did. A guy who was up to no good wouldn’t have done that, would he? She felt bad for Doug. What an awkward encounter, being told by his date’s older brother that the date was now over. His only downfall that night was the revelation that he was a terrible kisser, which didn’t inherently make him a bad guy.

“You look like you could use a drink,” Billy’s voice lulled from above her as he held a can of beer down near her head.

Jackie quickly wiped her eyes and looked up at the unopened can of Schlitz, beading with condensation. “Thanks,” she accepted it, fiddling with the tab under her fingernail for a few seconds before opening it.

Billy licked his lips and motioned beside her. “Mind if I sit?”

Jackie just shrugged and took a sip. _Bleeeccckkkhhh, this is terrible,_ she puckered her lips and forced herself to swallow the bitter liquid down.

Billy sat in the sand beside her with a grunt. There were no words spoken between them, just each other’s quiet presence. She was already thoroughly humiliated, and the last thing she wanted was for Billy to throw the whole Doug thing in her face.

In the months that he had known Jackie, _quiet_ was not a word that he would think to describe her. “You okay?” Billy asked after several silent moments.

“Stellar,” Jackie replied with derision. “I love being humiliated in front of half the senior class.” She almost brought the beer back up for another sip before realizing that it tasted horrible and bringing it back down to rest against her thigh.

Billy took a sip. “No one saw.” His attempt to put her at ease backfired.

Jackie huffed. Maybe the majority hadn’t seen, but she was sure that people probably talked about it on Doug’s way out, noticing that he was leaving without the girl he brought. If not that, his friends probably asked him as he walked by. Jackie wouldn’t blame him for telling the truth. She probably wouldn’t stand a chance of landing another date for the next two years.

“That’s not the point,” Jackie’s frustration coated her words like sour candy.

Even with her embarrassment, she still brushed her hair back behind her ear, revealing her face to Billy. He studied her profile for a moment before responding. Her freckled skin, so soft and smooth, appeared more flushed beneath the light of the moon.

“I know,” he acknowledged. _It’s that he treated you like a kid. I’m learning._ Billy sighed and took another drink. “He’s only trying to look out for you.”

Jackie laughed with irritation and shook her head. Ruining her date didn’t exactly fit into her definition of being looked after.

“I know it sounds dumb, but,” Billy inhaled and shook his head, “it’s something I don’t think you would fully fathom unless you’re the older brother of a younger sister.”

Jackie stared at him with skepticism blanketed all over her face. He stared back at her, stone-faced. “I’ve seen you around Max,” she reminded him.

Billy snorted. “Look, I know I can be a dick sometimes, but… I don’t know... It’s kind of like… new moms with their babies. There’s just this natural, inborn tendency to want to protect and defend. It’s kind of like that with—” _people you love,_ “brothers and their little sisters.”

Jackie raised an eyebrow at him and looked like she would start laughing at any minute. “How much weed have you smoked tonight?”

Billy realized that he was sounding sentimental, something that often occurred when he had a touch of marijuana in his system. He smiled broadly at how she was looking at him. “A little bit before we got here,” he pinched his fingers together, crinkled his nose, and stuck his tongue between his teeth.

 _Oh my God, there it is._ Jackie wanted to laugh but was too captivated by the sweet, unguarded version of Billy in front of her. The side of him that most of the kids at school didn’t ever get to see. The side of Billy that giggles, not laughs, and acts boyish, not brutish.

She realized he must have come here with Tommy and Carol. She couldn’t speak for what Billy did in his free time, but she felt rather certain that he only smoked weed at her house with Tommy. _Maybe that’s why he seemed to show a little more self-control instead of throwing punches. Why he was slow to recognize me when I said hello._ And looking back on Tommy asking for the keys to the Camaro, she deduced that he was looking for a semi-private place for him and Carol to get it on since he was without his own vehicle. _Really stupid, considering they knew they were going to Lovers Lake._ _But_ … _marijuana. Makes him stupid._

“Max gets on my fucking nerves sometimes, Jacks. But, fact of the matter is—” he brought his knees up and rested his arms on top, tilting his head back to look up at the starry sky. “I’ll kill the bastard who ever tries to hurt that little shit.”

He shifted his eyes to look at her, and she smirked with a chuckle. “Tommy couldn’t claw his way out of a wet paper bag,” Jackie teased at her perception of Tommy’s inability to effectively protect her if needed.

He simply smiled. “I wouldn’t underestimate what your brother would do for you if it ever came down to it,” he cocked his eyebrow and took another swig from his sweating can.

Jackie’s expression faded to earnestness. “What makes you say that?”

“I’ve heard his speech before,” he winked.

“Speech?”

“Yeah, you know. The don’t-mess-with-my-sister-or-else speech,” Billy said offhandedly with a shrug, as he finished his beer. He crumpled the can in his fingers and set is aside. Jackie, not enjoying the taste of beer, handed her can over to him. He took it without question and drank again.

_Shared a beer with Billy Hargrove._

Jackie was taken aback that her brother had a speech about her. In her sixteen years, she couldn’t think of one nice thing that he had ever really said to her that wasn’t forced by a parent. _Tell your sister she looks nice. Apologize to your sister. Ask your sister if she wants to go, too._

“Is this something he said to _you_ or something that you heard him say to someone else?” Jackie squinted, curious to hear more about this speech of her brothers.

Billy took a break from taking gulps. “Oh, it was to me,” he said with an inflection that suggested there was an interesting backstory.

Her heart fluttered like a thousand butterflies were about to bust out. Billy and her brother had talked about her before. A special _don’t-mess-with-my-sister_ speech. One reserved for potential suitors. _I knew I wasn’t imagining this attraction._ Now would be the time to ask, while his guard was down and they were alone.

“Why did Tommy give you the speech?” her cheeks ached with how hard they were fighting back a smile.

Billy gazed at Jackie’s face, remembering the gist of what Tommy had told him. Things like… _I see the way you look at her; I see the way you get around; my sister isn’t gonna be one of your quick lays; my Dad owns a shotgun and a shovel._ Billy was extremely attracted to Jackie; and, with extreme attraction came extreme lust. He thought he had been better at hiding it than he was, but he couldn’t help that every time she entered the room his eyes followed her every move. Tommy had seen it early on. Warned him that he wouldn’t tolerate hearing rumors about his sister. That he wouldn’t stand to see her heart broken.

Billy drank from his can of beer. _Because I’m not a good guy. Because I tore through this town like a hurricane and made an impression of myself that stuck. Because I can’t stand the thought of being abandoned again, so I do it to them before they can do it to me._ “Because,” he swallowed a rising lump in his throat. He saw her face relax, go from amused to curious. It made his heart stop. She looked at him as if she could read his thoughts, expression now turning from curiosity to sadness. “Because of who I am.”

Jackie felt a twinge of pain in her chest at hearing those words come from his mouth. Not just the words, but the way he said them. Regardless of how tough Billy showed himself to be on the outside, he bled red just the same as anyone. Hurt just as much when people let him down. When people judged him without knowing him. _The real him._ He would maintain, until he was blue in the face, that he didn’t give a shit what people thought about him, but Jackie knew better.

Jackie observed him look away and avoid her face for the next several seconds. She could tell he was uncomfortable, or maybe even ashamed. She dug her fingers into the gritty sand and pushed herself closer to Billy so that her side brushed against his arm. He turned to see her rest her head against his shoulder.

“You’re not so bad,” she said quietly, slowly dragging her face over the soft fabric of his cotton shirt until her chin was on his shoulder and their eyes met.

Billy pressed his lips into a tight smile and exhaled amusingly through his nose. Although they were under the mask of the night sky, her eyes never appeared brighter. “No?”

Jackie lightly shook her head. He made the mistake of looking at her lips. Slightly shiny from the last sip of beer she had taken. Light pink. Corners tugged upward into the faintest hint of a smile. He caught himself as he started to shift closer, stopping himself when he realized what he was doing. He quickly tried to recover with humor.

“Even though I stink?” he grinned sideways.

Jackie lifted her chin from his shoulder and laughed, sitting up away from him. He missed her warmth, missed her touch already. She leaned forward on her knees, brushing her hands together to clean them from the grains of sand sticking to her palms. He chuckled, too, and raked his teeth over his lower lip as he watched her.

She sighed when the laughter subsided and gazed up at the sky. It was clear. Not a cloud in sight. Full of stars. “It’s beautiful out tonight, huh? All the stars in the sky.”

 _She_ was beautiful. “Gorgeous,” he smiled, not bothering to look away from her.


	5. The Heat is On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy considers moving things forward with Jackie, but an unexpected wrench is thrown into his plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Sexual content (masturbation)

“I’ll be up in a minute,” Max shooed Jackie along so that she could say goodbye to her boyfriend, Lucas. Probably so she could kiss him without her stepbrother seeing. It usually upset him. Maybe the whole protective older brother/younger sister thing had some validity to it after all.

Jackie waved with a smile and continued walking up to the student parking lot where Billy was leaning against the front fender of his Camaro. It was a warmer day, and he was without a jacket. His short sleeved button-down shirt looked too small for his arms. His biceps bulged beautifully against the tight hem of his sleeves. The sun must have felt good to him because he closed his eyes and tipped his head so his face was made visible to its rays. Jackie was sure it didn’t even compare to California, but this was the first unusually warm day Hawkins had seen since last September.

She hated to say anything when she approached the car, not wanting to disturb his perfect form. The strong angle of his jaw below his dangling earring was relaxed. Taut, lightly stubbled skin expanded over his stretched neck, much lighter than it had been when he and Max first moved to town. The bronze god had lost his color, but not his appeal. Loose curls brushed against his broad shoulders. Jackie wanted to sweep them back, twirl them around her finger and kiss him at the throbbing pulse point she just found under his jaw. She sighed at the thought.

Billy opened his eyes and looked over at her. “Hey,” he stood straight. “I didn’t know you were there.”

“I just got here,” she lied convincingly, reluctantly shifting her gaze away from his throat.

Billy nodded his head and kicked at a small stone by his foot. He started to chuckle. Jackie looked at him, confused, because nothing had been said. After their lighthearted moment at the lake on Saturday, Billy felt like things were kind of back to normal for them.

“So, uh… I’m taking you back to _my_ place, huh?” he raised his eyebrows and cocked a playful grin as he crossed his arms.

Now his sleeves looked like they could rip if he flexed his muscles even the tiniest bit. Jackie and Max had a project to work on for their history class. She jumped at Max’s offering to work on it at their little house. Max thought it was because it was pizza night, but really, any chance to be around Billy was something that Jackie longed for.

She blushed and averted her eyes with a small giggle. Happy that their flirting had started again after a week without it, she decided to play along. “Yeah,” Jackie bit her lip. “I’m gonna test-ride the backseat of your car,” she boldly trifled. 

His grin widened and his eyes got big. He considered telling her that being in the backseat alone wasn’t quite the full Billy Hargrove experience, but he didn’t want to bring up the idea of past conquests. Besides, Jackie was too good for a backseat bang, especially for her first time.

“I’ve heard it can be kind of bumpy back there,” Billy turned and placed his hand on the roof, peering down at her beneath his long lashes. “You’ll have to let me know if I’m going too fast for you,” his voice deepened.

Jackie bit the inside of her cheek at the double entendre and the way his voice lowered, its vibrato sending shockwaves to her core. She shifted on her toes to lean closer, and in a sultry voice proposed, “Maybe I like it rough.”

 _Jesus Christ._ Billy felt his dick twitch in his pants and had to move his legs to change his position so it wouldn’t be quite so obvious. He could definitely feel that he was semi-hard. He turned to face the car and leaned his front against it completely, bringing his arms up to rest atop the roof. It was the most subtle way he could think of to shield the swelling protrusion from sight.

“Jackie,” he grunted, not wanting whatever this was between them… this erotic, sugar-sweet _torture…_ to end. “Keep talkin’ dirty to me, and you’re gonna get spanked.”

Her heart raced and her skin tingled at the idea of his hands smacking the bare flesh of her bottom. Turning it red and then rubbing his hand over it afterward to sooth the tantalizing sting. The raspy way her name surged from his lips sounded exactly the way she imaged it would during sex. Billy had said many suggestive things to her over the last seven months, but that last statement was, by far, her favorite.

“Don’t threaten me with a good time,” she breathed, eyes focused on the barely visible tip of his tongue that was running along the edge of his teeth.

She squeezed her thighs together and felt her muscles spasm between her legs. Her cheeks felt warm, warmer than they should have been just with the sun. He stared at her, grin fading and jaw slack. She could tell he was just as turned on by this banter as she was.

Just then, the passenger side door opened. Billy and Jackie jolted at the sudden disruption and looked at Max, staring at them with a peculiar look on her face. Nobody moved. Jackie felt a rush of adrenaline flowing through her veins at the thought of Max potentially catching them. For as long as they had been engaging in this back and forth flirtation, it was never in front of anyone else.

After several quiet seconds, Max rolled her eyes at Billy. “Are we going home, or are we going to stand here all day?”

Billy glared at Max while opening his door. She continued to stare at him. He held his arm out, “Well get in, then, shitbird,” he barked. Max rolled her eyes and got in the passenger seat.

Billy reached in and flipped the driver seat forward for Jackie to have access to the backseat. He stepped back against the inside of the door and held his hand welcomingly for her. “After you.”

Jackie smirked and tossed her bookbag onto the seat before she stepped inside. She made sure to pause for a moment with her butt in the air and back arched, fumbling with her bookbag to get it out of the way, allowing a moment for Billy to look if he wanted. Thank God Max couldn’t see Billy’s face and where his eyes were right now. It was so quick, but he couldn’t help but stare. Those little denim shorts that ended at her upper thighs clung to her posterior like a second skin. Her thighs were thick, and he wanted to pinch them, squeeze them, feel them constrict around him.

As soon as she was situated, he flipped the seat back and got in. He drove with his left hand, allowing his right arm to rest in front of him and hand to relax over his crotch inconspicuously. A few minutes alone behind a locked door would be needed when they got home. 

“It’s so hot today,” Max sighed a complaint, rolling her window down. Her auburn hair whipped against her face until she twisted it like a rope and tucked it behind her shoulder. “I can’t wait until the pool opens.” 

“I know,” Jackie groaned, repeating the maneuver with her own hair. “I feel so sticky.”

She hadn’t meant it as anything sexual. Truly, the heat had caused her to sweat between her thighs and behind her knees (amongst other places), adhering her damp skin to the hot leather seat. Regardless, she met Billy’s eyes in the rearview mirror because she knew they would be there. She willed herself to not look away, cheeks turning rosy and chest heaving under his shameless watch. Billy glanced away fleetingly only to check the road, but his intrigued eyes returned to hers in the mirror. The fine creases that appeared next to his eyes suggested a growing smile. And then he winked at her. She smiled and bashfully turned away to look out the window.

Billy sped through the streets to get to his house on Cherry Lane. There was hardly any conversation over the loud metal music that boomed through the speakers. Billy didn’t do feelings or small talk. Jackie wondered if he always had his music turned up on car rides with Max so he wouldn’t have to engage in conversations and talk about their days. Despite the recent revelation of his protectiveness over Max, he still wanted his space from her. Still longed to keep a part of him private and guarded. Jackie wondered if Max knew he would kill for her.

They arrived at the curb outside of the Mayfield-Hargrove residence. Billy opened the door and flipped the seat to allow Jackie out. She grabbed her bookbag and stepped out with one foot, but her other foot snagged on the frame of the car, and she stumbled. Billy quickly caught her. In his haste to keep her from falling to the pavement, he hadn’t really paid attention to where his hands grasped her. One hand under her arm, and the other hand cupped her breast. He had only meant to save her from going down face first.

Jackie gasped when she tripped and then laughed when he caught her, not even yet aware that his hand was on her breast. She placed a hand on his arm to steady herself and stood with his assistance. They both looked down to where his hand was. For talking a good game, Billy sure did turn beet-red when his hand was on Jackie’s chest. He quickly pulled away and stammered.

“I’m sorry,” he made a face that showed his embarrassment and mistake. “You okay?”

She blushed and lowered her eyes from him. “Fine,” her response was nearly breathless. She adjusted the strap of her bag and walked around the car to meet Max.

“What was that?” Max asked as they approached the front door.

Billy stayed behind for a moment, dropping his hands to his knees and leaning against his car with a sigh. Dumb luck. But they were as dreamlike as he had imagined. Filled his hand perfectly. He felt his hard-on return, straining against the zipper of his jeans. He closed his door and scurried into the house, walking straight to his room and slamming the door shut, clicking the lock into place.

Billy first pressed _play_ on his boombox to be able to cover up any sounds he made with whatever song was next on his Metallica tape. He walked over to his nightstand and ripped a few tissues from the box, tossing them down on the bed in front of him. He unzipped and unbuttoned his jeans hastily, pulling his half-erect penis from the opening at the front of his boxers. He would need to be quiet. Max’s room was right next door, and all that separated him and Jackie right now was a thin wall. He could already hear their muffled voices engaged in conversation.

He pressed his lips together and a soft moan rumbled from deep within his chest as he wrapped his fingers around himself and applied pressure. He pumped himself slowly a few times until he was fully hard and a bead of precum seeped from his slit. He thumbed over the tip of his penis, gasping at the sensitivity as he rubbed a few circles with his thumb to slicken himself before resuming his slow strokes.

He closed his eyes and collapsed forward, supporting himself with his hand against the bed as he fought to keep his noises to himself. He thought about her. Thought about the sexually charged interactions between them over the months. Playful jokes about _spit or swallow._ Images of her teasingly eating a cherry popsicle three weekends ago. Stained red lips gliding over a long, hard shaft. Slow enough that it made him lose all sense of time and muscle function. Frozen in place, hypnotized by the provocative way she expertly licked and sucked. Juices melting down the sides as she pushed it further into her mouth, slurping them back up once it was prodding at the back of her throat. Stopping only when Max walked into the room. She didn’t even gag. Just smiled.

 _Maybe I like it rough._ It sent a shiver down his spine as he thought of them having rough sex. It was his usual style. Hard and fast and deep. His strokes sped up as he fantasized her riding him, bouncing up and down with force, allowing him to bottom out inside of her. Breasts brushing against his face. He rocked his hips. Imagined matching her thrust for thrust. Drawing harsh grunts and gasps and pleasure-filled screams from her slender throat. Pulling her hair and her reciprocating. Her fingers grazing over his scalp in irregular patterns before clenching around a fistful of curls, pulling his head back and French kissing him. Teeth nipping at delicate skin at the nape of his neck followed by wet, sloppy kisses and sucking on him until superficial blood vessels burst and purpled beneath his skin.

He was close. Knuckles turned white as his fingers curled into the soft blue comforter on his bed. A tightness in his groin and abdomen intensified as he recalled the curves and the shadows of her face in the moonlight. The smell of her hair as she rested against his shoulder— traces of warm vanilla and honey. The warmth of her body pressed up against his. The sparkle that emerges when her smile reaches her eyes. How she bites her lip when she’s nervous or shy.

Billy chaotically reached for the tissues. He brought them in front of himself just in time as he ejaculated. A whimper trickled out of his mouth as he harshly exhaled through his orgasm. Heat rushed to his cheeks. He took a shuddering breath as he spasmed in his hand and filled the bundled tissues. It had been several weeks since he had been with a girl. That must be some kind of new record.

When he was finished, he took a few more tissues and balled them around the sticky mess. He tucked himself back in his pants and checked himself out in his vanity mirror. His cheeks were lightly dusted in pink splotches, something that could easily be blamed on the heat. He spritzed his curls with a few pumps of Aqua Net and styled them the way he liked, pulling a curl down over his eye and watching it spring back up over his forehead. He snatched one of the packs of gum that he had lying around and popped a stick of spearmint in his mouth to satisfy the typical oral fixation he craved after cumming.

He grabbed the wad of tissues and opened his door, headed to the bathroom to dispose of the evidence. Max’s door was cracked open, likely because of the limited airflow in the house. Billy tread softly on his way back to his room, stopping to listen for a few moments when he heard an interesting dialogue.

“Has he asked you yet?” Max sounded giddy.

“No,” Jackie chuckled. “And he probably won’t after what happened at the lake on Saturday. Tommy pretty much told him that I wouldn’t be seeing him again until prom. My God, Max. It was so embarrassing. I felt so bad for him.”

Billy rolled his eyes. No one needed to feel sorry for Doug. He was an asshole. He was lucky that he was able to end the night with just the awkwardness of being told to leave. Billy would have given him a black and blue souvenir to take with him.

“What’s gonna happen if you actually start _dating_? Tommy can’t chase him away all the time.”

_Shut up, Max._

There was a pregnant pause. Billy held his breath, worried that perhaps one of them had heard him and would come to the door to investigate. Then Jackie spoke again, lightly.

“I don’t know if I _want_ to continue dating him after prom.”

Billy raised his eyebrows and smiled. He licked his lips in anticipation of further information.

“Really?” Max sounded surprised. “Why not? He’s a babe, he’s rich, he’s athletic—”

“And he’s a really, _really, horrible_ kisser.”

The girls giggled. Billy grinned and crossed his arms as he leaned forward to hear more about Jackie’s true thoughts about Doug. He reveled in the news that Doug was a bad kisser. Jackie would never be disappointed with Billy’s kisses. Whether she wanted them soft and sweet or rough and sloppy, he knew how to please a lady.

Max groaned, “That’s disappointing.”

“I mean, that doesn’t make him a bad guy, but,” Jackie took a breath and groaned. “I don’t know. It was really weird— the interaction between him and Tommy. When he kissed me, it didn’t really seem like something intimate for me so much as he was like… marking his territory for Tommy to see. And Billy.”

His ears perked up at the mentioning of his name. His heart pounded ferociously against his chest.

“Billy?” Max grunted with confusion. “Why would he care about doing that in front of Billy?”

Jackie sighed. “They hate each other.”

“So? What’s that have to do with you?”

Jackie chuckled anxiously. “I don’t know,” she droned. “I think Doug is intimidated that he sometimes sees Billy and I talking. You know, given the kinds of things that people say about Billy.”

Billy hung his head, cursing himself for the reputation he had earned.

“He told me, in so many words, not to sleep with him.”

“Who?”

“Billy. About Doug,” Jackie confessed.

Billy bit at his thumbnail, worried about what would come from their conversation.

Max scoffed with disgust. “Like it’s any of his business. What an asshole. I’m sorry he did that.”

Again, Billy rolled his eyes, wishing Max would shut up and stop making it sound like he was the bad guy in this situation.

“What if he wants to?” Max asked quietly.

“Huh?”

“What if Doug wants to… you know… after prom?” Max questioned in a serious tone.

Jackie giggled nervously. “I don’t _know._ ” She felt kind of uncomfortable talking about this out loud with someone. But, it _was_ Max. They were good friends. She trusted her. “I didn’t really think about it until Billy brought it up.”

Billy mentally kicked himself.

“If Lucas wanted to after prom, I’d probably do it,” Max revealed.

Billy pressed his lips together and curled his fingers into fists. He felt like bursting through the door and shouting at her, _‘Oh, no, you would **not**!’ _He was a hypocrite, for sure, when it came to the expectation of _Do as I say, not as I do._ He trusted himself to not get any of the girls he had been with pregnant. He was careful, used protection. He didn’t trust that any other boy would be smart enough to be so cautious, especially the idiots that his stepsister hung around. His rational self told him to refrain from interrupting. To either walk away if he was going to get so pissed off or keep listening and exhibit some control for once.

Jackie immediately replied, “Yeah, but you and Lucas have known each other for seven months. I’ve known Doug for all of two weeks. And even then, I don’t really _know him_ know him.”

Billy’s fists and facial muscles relaxed. A wave of tranquility engulfed him as Jackie reasoned with Max about the hastiness of jumping into bed with a guy she hardly knew.

The more Jackie had thought about it, the more she reconsidered her initial thoughts about giving it up on prom night to Doug. The sloppy kiss was probably a preview of how bad everything else would be. But, more than that, she really thought about the interaction between him and Tommy. How Billy had come to her after to check on her. How sweet and open he had been. That was the kind of reaction she wanted from a boy. Not a tongue down the throat.

“I’d want my first time to be special, ya know?” Jackie’s voice was gentle and enchanting. “And I don’t mean just like prom-night-special. I mean… I want it to be with someone who I feel comfortable with and that I trust. Someone who I’ve known for at least seven months,” she laughed, making it seem like she was poking fun at Max.

Billy considered another possibility behind the message. He could hear the smile in her voice, and he caught himself smiling, not sure of when it had started. He bit his bottom lip, drawing it in and running his tongue along the skin to keep himself quiet.

Jackie sweetly continued, “Someone who makes me laugh and appreciates my sense of humor. Who… looks at me like I’m the only girl in the world. Who comforts me when I’m feeling down. Someone that I can envision myself growing older with. Having the house with the white picket fence. The one-point-three kids. One-point-five cars. A dog.”

Max laughed at the statistical numbers. “You sound like you have it bad for someone.”

Jackie laughed, too. “No,” she lied. “I just have this idea in my head, that’s all.”

Billy smirked and decided to walk away, feeling guilty enough having eavesdropped on such an intimate conversation between girlfriends. He felt like he could be all those things to her, if she just gave him the chance. He might not be able to provide her a big house with a white picket fence right away, but maybe one day he could. She could trust him. He would lay down his life for her. He would treat her like a queen. No other woman would ever catch his eye or capture his heart, because Jackie had it all.

It wasn’t exactly confirmation that she was in love with him, too, but he was willing to take the chance. But, first, he needed to correct a stupid mistake that he had made the week before.

*****

Billy leaned against a row of lockers the next day in the general area that he knew Doug to frequent between classes. His eyes scanned through the crowd of students. Doug stood out in a crowd. A six-foot-tall, blonde, walking, talking penis is easy enough to spot.

“Nieman,” Billy called out and pushed himself away from the lockers once Doug was close enough. “I need to talk to you.”

Doug said something to the pal he was with and nodded at Billy. “Come to wish me luck tomorrow?” he bared his teeth like a cackling hyena.

Billy’s jaw tensed and he reflexively made a fist at his side. “Not quite,” he grunted. “We need to talk. In private.”

Doug’s triumphant smile transformed into an inquisitive grin as he studied the serious expression on Billy’s rigid face. Holding his hand out, he encouraged him, “Lead the way.”

Billy turned and led Doug to the boys’ bathroom just a few doors down the hall from where they had been. There was a small, pipsqueak of a freshman at the urinal who turned his head over his shoulder nervously when tough guy Billy Hargrove rammed through the door with football star Doug Nieman on his tail. Billy observed that all the stall doors were open.

“So, uh,” Billy turned to face Doug. He glared at the short kid finishing up at the urinal who eyed him timidly while he slowly made his way to the sink. Billy barked, “Beat it,” and pointed his thumb to the door.

The kid jumped and darted back and forth between the two older boys before shuffling his feet and hurrying to the exit. Doug chuckled at the submissive and frightened behavior of the smaller boy. Now that they were alone, Billy wasted no time in making his point.

“I want out,” Billy stood tall and spoke with sureness. “Of the bet, I want out.”

Doug raised an eyebrow and grinned devilishly. “That afraid you’re going to lose, Hargrove? What was it? Seeing me and her together at Lovers Lake?”

Billy shook his head and grumbled at the cockiness. “She’s a good girl, man. She doesn’t deserve it. Not from me. Not from you. Not from anyone. She’s better than that, and she deserves to be treated with respect.”

Doug chuckled and rolled his neck, staring up at the ceiling in a display of boredom and apathy at Billy’s statement. When Billy went quiet, Doug cracked his neck and just stared at him in amusement.

“I’ve told you before, Hargrove. All sales are final,” he shrugged.

“Look, I’ll pay you the twenty bucks. Whatever. But, I’m out. I’m telling her,” Billy made up his mind.

Doug tilted his head so his ear was closer, but he never broke eye contact with Billy. “You’re telling her _what,_ exactly?” His tone was unnerving.

Billy held his chin up and breathed evenly. “All of it. The whole thing. What I said. What you said. The bet you and your buddies have going on about prom. She deserves to know all of it.”

Doug threw his head back and laughed. He ran his hand through his silky hair and bit his lip. His attention came back to Billy, who didn’t share the same amusement as him. The door opened and another underclassman stepped inside.

“Get the fuck out of here,” Doug snapped over his shoulder, humor now devoid from his voice.

The boy paused and looked at Billy with a confused look that silently asked _Is he serious?_ Billy’s only response was quickly motioning his head toward the door. Without uttering a word, the teen left. Doug turned his head to look at Billy again. Eyes narrowed and mouth flattened in an obvious show of dissatisfaction.

“The pot’s at six hundred, Hargrove,” he criticized. “I know even an ignorant degenerate such as yourself knows that’s a lot of money. Unless you can pay me all that yourself, we’re gonna have a problem.”

Billy couldn’t help but laugh as he looked off to the side and wiped at his nose. “Man, I don’t give a fuck about what kind of money you think you’re missing out on. I’m telling her. End of story.”

Having said all he needed to say on the matter, Billy started to walk towards the door. Doug held his hand out and pushed it against Billy’s chest, beckoning him back to continue the conversation.

“Except,” Doug cocked his head to the side, “it’s _not_ the end of the story. I know something about you, Hargrove. Something that, being a betting man, I’d stake my life on you not wanting Jackie to find out.”

Billy smirked, intrigued but confident that there were no secrets that would surprise Jackie. He stepped back to where he had stood previously. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“You’re buddies with Tommy, aren’t you?” Doug inquired, already knowing the answer.

Billy shrugged his shoulders and twisted his face. Yeah, it would suck for this to all come out to Tommy, too, but it sure as hell beats the alternative of Jackie finding out later on her own. If he and Jackie started dating, he’d deal with Tommy. He could prove himself as worthy. He was already on his way and making changes.

“Well, how ‘bout this?” Doug stepped forward and held his finger up. “You tell Jackie about the bet, and I’ll tell Tommy you fucked Carol at Tina Mills’ Halloween party last October.”

Billy lost the smirk. His heart skipped a beat and his stomach flopped like a fish out of water. He could feel the color drain from his face like someone had pulled the plug. Doug grinned at the response he got.

“You didn’t think anyone knew about that, did ya?” Doug taunted, taking another step into Billy’s personal space.

Billy’s chest rose and fell faster than it had a minute ago. His eyes dropped to the floor as he remembered the events from that night. It was after he had defeated the previous keg stand record and downed a couple of shots. He went for a piss in the bathroom and ran into Carol on the way out. She wanted to congratulate him in private. Teased red hair a mess. Her eyeliner was smudged, and speech was slurred. Billy had seen two of her and could hardly feel his legs carrying him to the bedroom that Carol led him to. They were drunk. Everyone knew Tommy and Carol have had their fair share of rocky moments in their relationship. But this… this coming to light would have detrimental consequences.

It would end his friendship with Tommy, no doubt. Hell, it might even end Tommy’s relationship with Carol. They had been drunk, yes, but not so drunk that either of them would have forgotten about it the next morning.

Doug smacked Billy on the top of his arm and clicked his tongue. “That’s what locks are for, pal.”

He had been drunk enough at the time that a marching band could have come through the door and he probably wouldn’t have noticed. He wondered if anyone else knew, or if this was a piece of information that Doug had been holding onto, waiting for the perfect moment to be able to use it against him.

“So,” Doug smirked and spoke with superiority. “Here’s what we can do. Keep your money. I don’t give a shit about your twenty bucks. Keep your mouth shut, and Jackie and Tommy never need to know about our little secret. Hmm?”

Billy looked up at him and just stared with a festering hatred. Nostrils flared in anger. Right now he felt like his balls were in a vice. He couldn’t even think of something smartassed to say. Doug smiled and patted him on the shoulder before turning and walking out of the bathroom.

The bell rang. He was now late for class. Billy rotated and kicked the door to the nearest stall as hard as he could. It slammed back against the wall with a loud, echoing blow like a gunshot. A piece of the plastic lock and handle snapped off and bounced to the floor. The door ricocheted from the wall back to the closed position and rebounded again.

“Fuck!” Billy shouted and grabbed at his hair with both hands.

He felt completely powerless.


	6. All She Wants to Do is Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jackie goes to the prom.

It was Friday: the day of the prom. Billy had spent half the night tossing and turning thinking about what to do. What would cause the least damage. He needed to talk to Carol. Their drunken night had happened seven months ago, and Billy hadn’t thought about it since then. Just like he never thought about any of his other drunken nights or one-night stands after they were finished.

Guilt ate away at him. Indignity and anxiety consumed whatever was left. This wasn’t just about him, or even him and Jackie. It affected his best friend. Threatened a relationship Tommy had with a girl for the past five years. Made him look not only like a selfish womanizer, but a shameless asshole and boldfaced liar, as well.

It was when he had first moved to Hawkins. First week at a new school where he was the main attraction and the girls all lined up for front row seats to gawk and touch. Tommy was more of an acquaintance at that time. Their friendship didn’t seem to really solidify until a few weeks later. Shortly after came the speech about Jackie.

He couldn’t even claim ignorance. Although their friendship was still in its early stages, he knew Carol and Tommy were an item. They had gone to the party together, for Christ’s sake. All he knew for certain was that when the petite redhead grabbed his dick and whispered naughty promises in his intoxicated ears, his body reacted the same way that it always did.

He didn’t even remember if it was good. Didn’t try to think too hard back on it now. Just blurred memories of two bodies carelessly bumping and grinding on each other in a dimly lit bedroom at the house of their hostess. They never talked about it. Never gave each other a second look afterword. Put on Oscar-worthy performances of living life without contrition or worry of being discovered. For all anyone else knew, they did nothing wrong. Pretended that they never knew each other in the biblical sense.

Billy walked into the cafeteria when the lunch bell rang. Immediately, he headed to the table that he typically shared with Tommy, Carol, and a few other friends. Tommy was already there, setting down his books, getting ready to stand in the lunch line. Billy skimmed through the groups of students entering the cafeteria but did not see Carol.

“Hey, Tommy,” Billy called out speedily as he approached. Tommy turned to look at him. “Where’s Carol?”

Tommy waved his hand dismissingly. “She and Jackie had a half-day. Something about pre-prom prep. Getting their nails done or some shit like that.” He shook his head and snorted, “Women. Am I right?”

Billy tossed his head back and sighed in defeat. He ran his fingers anxiously through his hair and paused with his hand at the back of his head, thinking of what he should do next. It was down to just hours now. He was running out of time.

Tommy furrowed his brow. “Why? What’s up?”

Billy chewed on the inside of his cheek while he deliberated his options internally. He didn’t _need_ Carol in order to come clean. He could just blurt it out and get it over with. He wondered what Tommy would do. Punch him? Scream at him? Walk away? Tell him he already knew? He nixed that idea. It wasn’t just _his_ secret to tell. He was an asshole, but he had at least some sense of morality when sober. Stuck between a rock and a hard place. There was no good answer. No right choice. Someone was going to get hurt regardless of what he did. Who could handle it the best? What pain would hurt the least?

“Nothing,” Billy responded with a lie when he saw Tommy’s face crease impatiently. He slinked onto a chair. “I just… had a question for her about something.”

“Sorry, man,” Tommy started to walk towards the growing line. “You comin’?”

There was no way Billy could eat right now. His stomach was twisted and wrenched in knots. “No, I’m not hungry,” he declined with a stretch backwards in his seat.

He thought about Jackie and the things she had said to Max yesterday. About wanting her first time to be with someone special, someone she trusts, someone she had known for at least seven months. She wasn’t going to sleep with Doug. Not tonight. From the sounds of it, not ever. She had picked up on the way he dominated her for that kiss. She said it herself: _marking his territory for Tommy to see. And himself._ And let’s not forget that he is a really horrible kisser.

Maybe the best course of action would be to do what Doug said: keep his mouth shut. Let events unfold naturally. Jackie would go to the prom with Doug. That alone would prove that Billy didn’t tell her anything about the bet. His secret would be safe.

Nine-thirty would come and go. He knew Jackie; she would want to stay and dance. Doug would lose out on the six hundred dollar prize through no fault of Billy’s. At the end of the night, Doug might suggest they go to the hotel room that he so thoughtfully rented before the event. Because Doug is a douchebag and would still want to have sex if he could get it.

Jackie would say _no,_ for Doug was not worthy of her trust, time, or body. He would insist, beg her— probably feed her some compliments and sweet-talk for added effect. But, Jackie would stand strong and would see right through him this time. She would smell the desperation and witness the frustration of him being denied. And if he tried to touch her, she would kick him in the balls. Just like she did to Matt Miller in the lunchroom.

“What are you smiling about?” Tommy dropped himself into a plastic chair and slid his tray onto the table.

Billy hadn’t realized he was smiling, but the thought of Jackie being the one to stick it to Doug was a pleasant image. He beamed at Tommy and released a belly laugh. Tommy chuckled lightly but appeared puzzled as he shoveled a spoonful of macaroni and cheese in his mouth.

Billy rested his elbows on the table and interlocked his fingers. “I was just thinking how awesome it would be if Jackie kicked Nieman in the balls tonight.”

Tommy rolled his eyes and sneered at the mentioning of his name. “I don’t know what she sees in that fucking Clydesdale.” He scooped more food into his mouth and spoke heatedly as he chewed. “I wanted to punch that smug fucking smile right off that dickweed’s Goddamned face on Saturday.”

Billy nodded his head in agreement. _So did I._ “Why didn’t you?”

Tommy sighed but kept his eyes to his food. “Because if she had wanted to, she would’ve done it herself.” He glanced up at Billy and smirked. “Don’t let that sweet face fool ya,” Tommy thought he was providing unknown information to Billy. “She can pack a mean punch.”

*****

Jackie sat in front of her vanity mirror, applying her makeup while wearing her bathrobe. Her hair was finished— teased, curled, and hairsprayed into a lopsided yet elegant updo. The tresses being swept away from her neck allowed for the dainty pearls her father had given her to be easily seen around her neck. She went with green eye shadow to match the metallic emerald green dress she had picked out. A hint of blush on her cheeks for added color and a nude lip.

The asymmetrical dress just barely brushed her knee. Above the layers of ruffles at her hip rested a large bow in the same material and color as the rest of her dress. The form-fitting bodice was sleeveless with a sweetheart neckline. _It’s a shame Billy won’t be at the prom,_ she thought to herself, _because my boobs have never looked better._ Pushed up, perfectly rounded, great cleavage. She fondly recalled the feel of his hand cupping her, albeit by accident, and hummed a smile onto her face while she smoothed out any wrinkles she saw.

A loud knock sounded at her bedroom door. “Hurry up, Airhead,” came Tommy’s annoyed voice, “Mom and Dad want a picture of both of us together before I go pick up Carol.”

“Just a second,” Jackie shouted back.

She looked herself over in the mirror and couldn’t help but think that this would all be wasted on a boy that couldn’t even kiss. She sighed and slipped into a pair of black kitten heels and picked up a small black clutch. She walked over to and opened her bedroom door.

Tommy was standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He wore a black tuxedo with a white button-down shirt and black bowtie. Hair was still a bit unruly and fluffy, but it suited him. When he saw Jackie step out of her room, he stood up straight, away from the wall, and gave her a once-over. His face lit up.

“Wow,” he smiled in genuine admiration of his sister’s beauty.

Jackie huffed a short little giggle. Holding her hands out, she asked, “Really?” and spun around for him to see the entire ensemble. 

“Yeah, well,” he crossed his arms again and cleared his throat. “You still look like an airhead,” he said with a kind softness to his voice. “Just a really pretty one.”

It was the best compliment she supposed she would get out of him. “I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” she smiled and playfully placed her hand over her heart in mock flattery.

“Yeah, don’t let it go to your head,” Tommy jested. “What about me?” he looked down at his tuxedo, brushing his hands down over the front of his jacket and checking to make sure that he had correctly aligned all buttons.

Jackie smirked and stepped forward. He looked up at her and placed his hands back to his sides. “You still look like a barf bag.” She reached out to adjust the bowtie that was just a little crooked. He lifted his chin and stood still to accept her assistance. “But one that someone cleaned out really well and decorated with a bitchin’ bowtie.”

A blush appeared beneath his freckles, and he grinned even wider.

“Jackie! Doug is here!” they heard their mother shout excitedly from the foot of the stairs.

The siblings looked at each other. Jackie looked up at her brother with an unsure smile. She took a step towards the staircase, but Tommy clasped her hand and stopped her.

“Hey.” She turned and looked down at his hand, much gentler than he had grabbed her on Saturday. Their eyes met, and he nodded his head mildly.

She lightheartedly rolled her eyes, knowing that he was about to say something about Doug. “Don’t worry.”

Tommy felt little relief at hearing those words come from her mouth. He didn’t care for Doug. Not since he beat him up and stole his lunch money in fifth grade. Definitely never would after he watched him stick his tongue down his baby sister’s throat.

“If he gets too handsy—” Tommy started to warn in a low voice.

“I’ll break his Goddamned nose,” Jackie finished quietly with a smile.

Tommy matched her smile. He felt a swell of pride. With their father consistently gone more weeks out of the year than not, Tommy felt an overwhelming pressure to make sure Jackie was okay. He had taught her how to fight. Told her it was something that all girls needed to know how to do. _None of that sissy hand slapping._ Joked that she would need it for when she and another girl liked the same boy. _Last girl standing gets the guy._

“Yes, you will,” Tommy smirked, confident that she could take care of herself well enough.

He bent his arm and offered his elbow out toward her. She smiled and slipped her hand through his arm. They walked side by side down the stairs where she would meet her date for the night. She wondered if Billy would come out to the house tomorrow and ask her how it went.

*****

The ride to the banquet hall was almost humorous. Jackie recognized the Led Zeppelin album from _Fast Times at Ridgemont High_ and had to bite her lips together to keep from laughing. It might not have been so funny if it had been playing already when she got into the car. But, Doug had specifically reached into the glovebox for it and chose that as their musical entertainment for their ride.

They had taken photos together at the decorated, silver and green archway inside the ballroom. This time he had been bold enough to place his hands on her hips rather than on her waist, but she said nothing. It was prom, after all, and she had seen other couples strike the same pose.

Dancing had not yet commenced. People were just now finishing their dinners. An announcement was made that the dancefloor would open in about five minutes as the waitstaff cleared the tables. Doug seemed different from their date the previous weekend. He seemed excited, more lively. The vivacity of his speech while he ate caused small particles of food to fly out of his mouth. It was quite repulsive.

“I’m going to go use the girls’ room,” Jackie politely excused herself, retrieving her clutch and standing from the table.

Doug’s hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, nearly crushing the red rose corsage he had given her before they left her house. It surprised her. “Hurry back,” he winked at her and released his grip. “The dancing’s about the start.”

Jackie nodded and turned away slowly, taken aback by the sudden movement. One of the other girls from the table, a fellow sophomore named Jessica, decided to join Jackie to the restroom. They met at the sinks after tending to their personal needs.

Jessica smiled at her through the mirror and adjusted her breasts, reaching into her bodice and pulling her breasts so that they sat higher against the taut fabric. Jackie chuckled under her breath and leaned closer to check for any flakey makeup that may have settled under her eyes.

“I think Glen and I are going to head out after the first dance,” Jessica raised her eyebrows and smiled broadly.

“What?” Jackie furrowed her brows and raised her pitch in surprise. She dropped her hand from her face. “Why? We’ve only just arrived. It’s so nice here.”

“Oh, come on,” Jessica rolled her eyes. “Three hundred dollars _more_ than reimburses me for the cost of the dress and the admission.”

Jackie was confused and felt like Jessica was speaking in code. She turned to the other girl and leaned her hand against the sink. “Three hundred dollars? What are you talking about?”

“Yeah,” Jessica crooned. “You know. It’s half of the wager money that they have going on.” She reapplied her pink lipstick carefully and kept her lips still while she spoke. “Glen promised me half if he won. So, I’m not going to waste any time. I’ll have two more proms to go to before I graduate. No big deal.” She smacked and rubbed her lips together.

“Jessica,” Jackie snapped, grabbing the girl by the arm and forcing her to turn and look at her. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Jessica narrowed her eyes and scrunched her face. Suddenly, Jessica was the one that looked confused. She pushed her extremely curled hair behind her shoulders. “The bet,” she repeated. “You don’t know about the bet?” Jackie shook her head _no_ , and Jessica’s eyes widened. She quickly slipped her lipstick tube back in her silver clutch and tucked it under her arm. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m sorry.”

As she was about to walk by Jackie, Jackie stepped in front of her and blocked her from leaving. “What bet?” she asked. When Jessica avoided looking at her eyes, Jackie more firmly pressed. “ _What. Bet?”_

“A bunch of football guys,” Jessica shrugged her shoulders and spoke with a hint of shame. “They made bets as to who would get lucky first with a sophomore girl. Some of them already got hotel rooms for the night. Glen said the guy who gets it first wins six hundred bucks.” She paused when she saw Jackie look away, seemingly hurt. “He told me about it and suggested we leave early; said he’d give me half if I did. I figured the other boys would tell their dates and try to pull something similar. It’s smart, you know? Cheating.”

Jackie felt like she was out of breath. Her heart wasn’t broken. You would have to love someone for them to have that kind of effect. No, what she felt was fury. Blood rushed to her cheeks. She could feel the skin on her face and neck getting hotter.

She swallowed and choked back tears. “Is Doug involved?”

Jessica looked at her with pity. “From what I’ve heard, it was his idea. I thought you knew.” Jackie’s lips parted and her eyes fell to the floor. “I’m sorry,” Jessica whispered guiltily as she rushed out of the bathroom and left Jackie behind.

Jackie could just hear her brother’s voice now. _I’m not like that **—well maybe Doug is.** _No, the plan hadn’t been to get some alcohol in her then show her the backseat of his car at Lovers Lake. Maybe the plan was to make her comfortable enough so that on prom night she would go to a hotel with him.

Billy’s words echoed in her mind. _I know guys like Doug. You don’t hear the kinds of things he says about girls. Sometimes guys expect things from girls, especially when it comes to something monumental like prom night. Don’t you think that’s a little weird that he asked you to prom? I think you can do better. You deserve better._

Jackie took a deep breath and marched out of the bathroom, Billy’s words backing up her confidence. She _did_ deserve better. Piecing it together: the things Billy and Tommy said, the way Doug acted, him asking her to prom out of the blue, the information that Jessica shared. This wasn’t a coincidence.

The music had begun. Dozens of couples were already out on the dance floor frolicking to _All She Wants to Do is Dance_. Doug was still sitting at the table. He smiled when he saw her approach. She didn’t return the friendly greeting because she suspected there was nothing but wickedness behind it. Jackie sat herself down gracefully in her chair and placed her arm on the table, drumming her manicured fingernails while she stared at Doug.

He chuckled, thinking that she was toying with him. “What’s wrong?”

 _Where to begin?_ Jackie collected her thoughts before she spoke. Calmly, she asked, “Why did you ask me to prom?”

Doug wrinkled his brows and frowned. “What do you mean?”

Jackie pressed on, determined to make him break. “I mean, what’s in it for you?”

His face was somber for a moment before he chuckled nervously. “I don’t know what you’re getting at,” Doug narrowed his eyes and licked his lips. He leaned forward. “I like you,” he said, placing his hand over hers.

Jackie pulled her hand away and inhaled sharply. “Empty your pockets.”

“Jackie, what’s this about?” he protested. Redness started to pool to his cheeks.

“Just do it, Nieman,” she snarled because she was fed up.

 _Nieman._ That’s how Hargrove referred to him. Doug stretched his jaw and flicked his tongue against a back molar. Her face looked familiar. Reminded him of Tommy last Saturday night. _She knows._ Doug exhaled and smirked.

“Alright,” he forfeited.

Doug stood from his chair and pulled out a money clip from his pants pocket. Tucked into the clip behind the bills was a singular foil packet containing a condom. Jackie looked at it and scoffed. She supposed most boys their age carried a condom with them in their wallets. Not the most damning thing, but awfully presumptuous of him to assume that he would need one tonight. He turned out both pants pockets to show that they were empty.

“Jacket, too,” Jackie looked up at him, face molded in a scowl.

Doug scoffed and rubbed his mouth. Long fingers scratched behind his ear, appearing to think about what he should do. With a nod, he reached for the breast pocket on the inside of his black jacket. He tossed the object onto the white linen tablecloth. It landed with a small clunk and jingle. Jackie looked at the offending item: a brass key on a yellow plastic tag. _Room 22._ His jersey number. _Arrogant prick._

Jackie huffed a singular laugh of repugnance as Doug’s estimate of her worth laid on the tabletop. Returning her gaze to Doug, she noticed that he now appeared to be pissed off.

Doug placed his hands on his hips and sighed. “Listen—”

“No, _you_ listen,” Jackie snapped as she quickly stood from her seat and cut him off. _Billy was right. My brother was right._ She didn’t know what to say, so she settled for, “Go fuck yourself.”

As she took a step to leave, Doug grasped her forearm and reminded her, “You can’t leave. I’m your ride.”

Jackie eyed where his hand was latched onto her and felt like slapping him right then and there. She met his stare again and jerked her arm away. “Wanna _bet?”_ she spat the last word.

*****

Billy sighed as he settled onto the hood of his car with a beer. He leaned against the windshield and crossed his legs. He was parked several rows over and a few spots back from the main entrance of the building. Not immediately visible to anyone who would walk out, but close enough that he could see what was going on.

Muffled music resounded behind the closed doors of the elegant brick building. He didn’t know where Nieman’s car was, but he was certain he would spot them if they came out of the building. If he saw Nieman trying to leave with Jackie, he would intervene. Secrets be damned.

He peeked at his watch. It was only a few minutes past seven o’clock. He was in for a long evening of waiting. At least the weather was still nice and warm. He was comfortable in his red button-down shirt and jeans. There were blankets in the trunk if he truly needed them. _Always be prepared._ Neil Hargrove could be a real dick sometimes. Billy made sure to keep a few supplies in his trunk since last December when his dad kicked him out of the house one night for bringing another girl home after he had explicitly been told not to.

He guzzled at his beer. One from a six-pack that he had managed to buy without being carded tonight. Perks of being able to grow facial hair and have a five o’clock shadow. He should have brought a cooler. Those beers sitting in the backseat were going to be warm sooner than he could finish them.

Billy wasn’t exactly sure what he would say if he saw them. He was prepared for a scuffle. Maybe he wouldn’t need to say anything at all. Just communicate with his fists.

The front door of the building crashed open against the brick wall. Billy flinched and looked up to see what caused the commotion. A girl in a dark green dress marched outside and leaned against the white pillar ahead of the door. Billy squinted and recognized that it was Jackie. He slipped off the hood and bent down to place the beer car on the pavement next to his tire. Shortly after Jackie came outside, Doug followed.

Billy stood at the front of his car and watched the interaction. He could hear a heated argument but couldn’t make out the words. There was a pause followed by a sharp slap from Jackie to Doug. It was hard. Doug stumbled back a step and grabbed his face, arching his back slightly as if about to fall over.

“Shit,” Billy chuckled, feeling proud of Jackie and pleased at the scene he just witnessed.

Doug stood and lunged at Jackie, grabbing her upper arms forcefully and pushing her up against the pillar she had been leaning against.

“Hey!” Billy shouted roughly, running towards them.

Doug turned suddenly at the verbal intrusion, surprised to hear anyone intervene as he had thought they were the only ones outside. His hands fell from Jackie. He rolled his eyes and threw his head back in aggravation when he saw Billy approaching. Billy reduced his speed to a quick walk. His long legs taking giant, heavy strides.

“Jesus H. Christ,” Doug placed his hands on his hips and shifted his weight to one leg as Billy closed the distance. “Why am I not sur—”

_BAM!_

No time for exchanging words. Billy’s hammer-fist struck Doug in the jaw, sending him straight to the cement walkway they were on.

“Billy!” Jackie yelled in astonishment.

Billy saw red when Doug had laid his hands on Jackie. Stepping over Doug’s body, he dropped to his knees to straddle him and keep him in place. He grabbed Doug by his white shirt and hoisted him a few inches from the ground, delivering another forceful blow to Doug’s jaw and again to his temple. Blonde hair whipped across his face at the velocity of the hits he was taking. If Billy could, he would have ripped Doug’s hands off and beat him to death with them.

“Billy,” Jackie wrapped her fingers around the arm that was holding onto Doug. “Come on, let’s just go,” she pleaded loudly for him to stop and take her away from here.

Fist raised in the air for another attack, Billy stopped and looked at Jackie. She was beautiful. Even when she worried. She repeated her request, sliding her fingers down to meet his hand and encouraging him to get up. If Billy could have it his way, he would continue throwing fists until Doug’s body was lifeless. But, for Jackie, he would stop. He would do _anything_ for her. Adrenaline was rushing, heart pumping blood fiercely through his veins, motivating him to move quickly and whisk Jackie away.

He stepped over Doug and pulled Jackie over. “Are you okay?” he questioned gently, rubbing her arms where Doug had grabbed her.

She smiled at the way he had come to her rescue and was caring for her. “I am now.” Billy smiled in return. That sparkle in her eyes was present. He didn’t know it, but he had it, too. “Get me out of here,” Jackie instructed with a breathless smile.

They were hardly ten steps away when Doug pulled himself to his feet and opened his mouth. “You plan this, Hargrove?” Doug hollered behind them. “Come here to collect your whore?”

Jackie stopped walking and spun around. Billy was about to return to Doug again when Jackie threw the back of her hand against his chest to stop him. He halted and looked down at her hand then to her.

“What did you say?” Jackie cocked her head to the side as her feet effortlessly carried her back to her former position.

“I said you’re a—”

Jackie’s fist collided with Doug’s nose with unprecedented speed. His head snapped backwards.

“Holy shit!” Billy roared with delight. _Jackie was a little badass._

It wasn’t hard enough to knock him off his feet like Billy’s had been, but it was hard enough to crunch the cartilage and draw blood. A lot of it. She felt like she had just punched a brick wall. Knuckles throbbed, and she wasn’t sure if she could uncurl her fingers from the shaky ball they were coiled into.

Doug covered his nose with both hands and then pried them away to see a pool of blood forming in his palms. “You broke my fucking nose!” he groaned in pain, cupping over his injured muzzle once more as blood dripped onto his rented suit.

Jackie walked up to him while he was distracted and placed her hands on his shoulders for leverage, bringing her knee sharply upward into Doug’s crotch. He cried out and replaced his hold from his nose to his groin, doubling over with his mouth open in a silent scream.

Billy laughed and reached for Jackie’s hand, tugging her back towards him. “Come on. We need to go before someone sees.” He knew all too well the kind of hot water one could find themselves in at a school event, even if it _was_ after hours.

Jackie didn’t argue. She turned and walked along with Billy: side-by-side, hand-in-hand. While they abandoned the scene of the crime, Doug managed to stagger his way back inside the event hall.

Jackie looked down at her hand. Fingers woven together like they were puzzle pieces that belonged to each other. “What’s this?” she asked, motioning to their hands when Billy glanced at her.

They continued to walk at a standard pace towards the Camaro, holding hands. He shook his head. “I thought you were doing it.”

She didn’t let go. Heart raced. From the rush of beating up Doug or the excitement of a shared intimate gesture with Billy, she wasn’t sure. “I’m not doing it.”

“Huh,” Billy pouted his bottom lip. Neither one of them let go. They were halfway to the car. “Well, I _did_ just come to your rescue, for God’s sake,” he reasoned with a boyish grin, keeping his grip steady.

 _Thud!_ They heard the door to the building slam open again. Jackie and Billy turned to see what was going on. Doug stood with three of his buddies, pointing and shouting in their direction. The well-dressed boys started to run towards them.

“Aw shit!” Billy exclaimed, pulling Jackie into a run. “Go go go!” he compelled her to speed up.

She shrieked with a huge smile on her face, feeling a burst of energy shoot through her legs. Billy released her hand only when they got to the car. He opened the passenger door for her and urged her inside. He slammed the door shut and ran around the back, smiling from ear to ear. Once inside the car, he started the engine and immediately shifted into gear. His foot hit the gas and he peeled out of the parking spot when the boys were just two car lengths away.

Jackie rolled the window down and crawled her knees onto the seat, sticking her torso out the window. The wind blew her hair in all directions as they made their escape. She tossed the floral corsage on the asphalt, laughing at the boys who were continuing to run after the car.

Holding up both middle fingers, she shouted, “Shove it up your ass, Nieman!”

She laughed as she felt Billy’s hand tug on her dress near her butt, imploring her to come back inside. He cackled and _Woo’d_ as the tires screeched when they hit the main road. Jackie didn’t get three hundred dollars out of it, but she was certain that she left the prom a richer woman.


	7. Can't Fight This Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I can’t fight this feeling any longer  
> And yet I’m still afraid to let it flow  
> What started out as friendship, has grown stronger  
> I only wish I had the strength to let it show
> 
> -Can't Fight This Feeling (REO Speedwagon)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: sexual content ;)

Billy cackled and slapped his palm against the steering wheel as Jackie settled back into the passenger seat. “Wooo!” he squealed with excitement as the wind blew through his curly hair.

The memory of Doug’s head snapping backwards and him gripping his balls like they were about to fall off would have replayed through his head if he didn’t have Jackie in the front seat giggling adorably. She looked over at him, out of breath from the exhilarating rush of adrenaline and empowerment. Her cheeks glowed pink, and she had such an accomplished look on her face.

“I think I really did break his nose,” Jackie panted. She laughed and placed her hand over her drumming heart in a feeble attempt to calm it. “Oh my God,” she breathed to herself as she giggled, “my hand hurts.”

“I think you did, too,” Billy smiled crookedly as he twisted his fingers around the steering wheel. “What happened?” He wanted every detail. Eager fingers lowered the volume of the radio.

Jackie’s smile slowly dissipated. Embarrassment shouldn’t have crept in, but it did. It wasn’t her fault. She hadn’t done anything wrong. But, she had ignored Billy’s warnings. Ignored Tommy’s. She looked down at her lap and fidgeted with her fingers, massaging sore knuckles. Billy noticed the change in demeanor and body language. _I could have prevented this,_ he thought to himself.

“You were right,” Jackie shook her head but avoided eye contact. “About Doug.” She paused and took in a deep breath, tipping her head far back to rest against the seat. She stared above at the dark upholstery. “He and his buddies made a bet on who would get laid first tonight.” Jackie twisted her neck to look at him and raised her eyebrows. “Six hundred dollars.”

Billy glanced over at her. He wondered what else she knew. If Doug had said anything about him. “Jesus,” he pretended to be surprised, but the disgust he exhibited was real. “How do you know? I mean. How did you find all this out?”

A brief chuckle caused Jackie’s shoulders to shake. “One of the guys was stupid enough to tell his date. Told her he’d give her half the money if they left after the first song, so he could beat them all. She accidentally let it slip. She thought they would’ve all pulled the same thing… telling their dates so they’d be the first to leave and win the _grand prize_.”

Billy huffed with aggravation. _Fucking rich bitches._ “Unbelievable.” Not really, though.

Jackie felt her humiliation melt away the longer she went on and Billy didn’t say anything asshole-ish. No _I told you so_ or _What did you expect._ Just listening ears.

“When she told me that it was Doug’s idea, I told him to empty his pockets.” Billy raised an eyebrow, intrigued and impressed with her brains and her boldness. “Cash, condom, and a hotel key.”

Billy’s face warped into an upturned, distorted version of himself. Steam jetted from his ears. He had heard Doug say he would have the hotel key already on him. Gripping the wheel tightly, he shook his head at how much of an asshole one person could possibly be.

Seeing the anger building up within him, she decided to share the line that she knew would make him smile. “So, I told him to go fuck himself.”

Billy smirked. He would have paid money to see the look on Doug’s face when Jackie called him out on everything. Even better, he got to see Jackie break his nose and bust his balls. Tommy had been correct. Behind that sweet face sprinkled in light freckles was a girl who could pack a mean punch. Hellfire disguised as sunshine. Manicured nails and a pretty dress were no deterrent for unleashing the warrior within.

“Was that when he grabbed you?” Billy assumed.

Jackie snorted. “Oh _that,_ ” she shook her head. “No, _that_ was when he offered to give me half if I still left with him. He either thinks I don’t know how to divide or I don’t know what the wager was, because he offered me a hundred.” Billy hissed something under his breath. “So, _that’s_ when I slapped him. You know the rest.” Jackie observed him shake his head in disbelief. “What were you doing there anyway?”

 _Shit. Should I tell her I was there for her?_ Billy shrugged his shoulders and puckered his lips while he considered what he should say. If he told her he was there for her, then she might wonder if he knew about the bet. And then she might get angry about why he never told her— why he allowed it to happen.

Voice a little more cavalier than intended, Billy rationalized as he rested his wrist against the top of the wheel, “Some girl was bound to get pissed off at her date and leave tonight. I was there to swoop in and come to her rescue when it happened.”

“Oh, shit,” Jackie said lightly, feeling like she ruined his plans for a steamy night with some lucky girl. “I’m sorry. We can go back. I can call my dad.”

Billy chuckled at the sincerity in her voice. More concerned over him potentially not getting any action tonight because of her than she was about getting home.

“Nah,” Billy drawled without concern. “I already nabbed the best one. I’m not taking her back now.”

If it weren’t for the makeup brightening her cheeks, Billy surely would have seen her turn three different shades of pink. Heat rushed to her core, and she rubbed her thighs together. She had hoped that he was really there for her. Sitting and waiting like a hunter, ready to pull the trigger when the intended target showed his face. He had been so adamant about her not sleeping with Doug tonight. Seemed well versed in the kinds of tricks boys had up their sleeves to convince girls to go against their better judgment. She wondered if he was there to intervene but thought it silly and herself naïve to assume that he would waste an entire evening on just the possibility of seeing her.

“So, where to?” Billy interrupted her daydream of him coming to her rescue. “Do you want me to take you home?”

_Please say no._

“No,” she quickly declined. _I want to stay with you as long as I can._ “I don’t want my parents to know what happened. My Dad will never allow me to go on a date again.”

Billy nodded his head and fought back a smile. “Okay,” he agreed calmly despite his insides spinning themselves in a celebratory dance. “So, where do you want to go?”

Jackie looked out the window, not sure of what their options were. Not her house. Parents were home, and she truly did not want them to see her return from the dance so soon. They would have a million questions that she did not care to answer. Billy’s house was out of the question. Max was there. She loved Max, but she knew that going there would turn into a girls’ night rather than an opportunity for her and Billy to spend time together. Lovers Lake? _Too bold of a suggestion._ Besides, other couples may leave the prom and make that their destination, too cheap or too poor to afford a hotel room on their own.

Jackie turned to look at Billy again. His eyes met hers and his lips curled into the sweetest smile she had ever seen. “Surprise me,” she invited him to take control.

*****  
  
Lake Jordan. The smaller, distant cousin of Lovers Lake. Frequented mainly for fishing. Woodsier around the perimeter of the water. Fewer places to park. _More isolated and private._ Billy had driven off the dirt path a little ways into an opening in the trees wide enough to accommodate a vehicle. There was a small, grassy opening just on the other side of the treeline that overlooked the water. No beach at this particular spot. Just a rocky border that descended a few feet below to the water.

Billy retrieved two blankets from the trunk. He spread the thickest one on the grass directly in front of the car, creating a cozy spot for them to lay beneath the stars. The second blanket was rolled into a long, makeshift pillow for them to share.

Jackie smiled at the preparedness, wondering how many other girls he had perhaps brought to this spot. She kicked off her shoes and smoothed her dress behind her as she sat on the makeshift bed. “I hope you’ve washed these since their last use,” she joked while Billy grabbed something from the Camaro.

He laughed. “It’s not _that_ kind of blanket,” Billy closed the door and joined her on the cover. He laid down and propped himself on his side with his elbow. “I stashed them in the trunk last time my dad locked me out of the house and I had to spend the night in the car.”

Billy had two beers with him. He held one out for Jackie. She looked down at it. _Schlitz._ Bitterness tingled within her mouth, and she sucked in her cheeks like she had just bitten into a lemon. The memory of the last time she had taken a sip filled her senses and provoked a shiver.

She grimaced and held up a wary hand, “No thanks.”

Billy smiled and nodded. “For your hand. It’s still decently cold.”

“Oh,” the thoughtful gesture tugged at her heartstrings. “Thanks,” she accepted the cool can, damp with condensation, and held it against her knuckles.

Billy’s can hissed and fizzled when he popped the tab open. He took a long, slow swig and contentedly sighed when he peered across the tranquil water. Jackie was sat cross-legged slightly in front of him. He found himself staring at her relaxed body, somewhat hunched forward and looking down at her hand. 

“Not quite how you envisioned your evening?” Billy guessed, sensing a tinge of uneasiness in her posture.

Jackie softly chuckled and shifted to look at him. “Laying next to Billy Hargrove, icing my hand after punching and ditching my prom date? _Definitely_ not the night I expected.”

It wasn’t a bad thing though. In the half hour that she had been with him, she had already had more fun than she had all day. She was nervous, though. Not in a scared type of way, but in a shy _I’m partnered with my crush_ kind of way. Billy looked down at his beer, resting it on the blanket, drawing circles around the rim with his index finger.

“Are you disappointed?” He was afraid that she was.

Her cheeks rose with her delicate smile. Shaking her head lightly, she softly and honestly responded, “No.”

He grinned, eyeing his beer once more. The feeling of excitement that he had when they sprinted through the parking lot hand-in-hand returned with intensity. Never in his life had he felt this way before about a girl. Billy Hargrove didn’t get nervous. Didn’t look away when his stare was noticed. Butterflies never flapped their wings in his stomach. His heart didn’t ache when he was away from someone and flutter back to life in their presence. At least, none of this had happened before Jackie.

“I just wish I would’ve listened to you,” she regretfully admitted. Silly teenage girl, too blinded by the prospect of male interest and guided recklessly by hormones and envy. “Instead of wasting my time and energy on an asshole who isn’t worth the beer I’m icing my hand with… and, an outfit that was totally wasted.” Her bare shoulders stooped downward.

Billy licked his lips at the sight of bare skin and delicate curves. “I wouldn’t say it’s wasted. I’m enjoying it. You look really nice.”

“Thanks.” Jackie released a short burst of air through her nose. A small laugh in response to Billy’s compliment. “I didn’t even get to dance,” the sentence was soaked with disappointment.

That was all she had wanted to do, was dance. And that son-of-a-bitch had ruined it for her. An idea popped into Billy’s head. Preparedness was typically one of Billy’s strengths. Not only did he have blankets in the trunk and condoms in the glovebox (because, hey, you never know what might happen), he also had a battery-operated radio in the trunk. Easy entertainment that wouldn’t drain his car battery on nights where he may have to sleep in the backseat.

“Hang on a second,” he rolled over and hopped to his feet.

Jackie twisted around to watch him. He placed his beer on the roof of the car and headed back to the trunk. He returned with a handheld radio. Staticky, white noise crackled as the power turned on. Garbled voices and short surges of instrumental timbres wailed out into the trees until he stopped at a station where a recognizable slow song was just within its first few measures. The radio rested between the hood and the windshield. Billy walked around to the front of the blanket and stood directly above Jackie, holding his hands out to her with a soft expression on his face.

“I thought you didn’t dance,” Jackie teased with a coy smile, recalling their conversation in her kitchen two weeks ago.

_I can’t fight this feeling any longer—_

Billy smirked and shrugged his shoulders. “Some things are worth making exceptions.” Correction: Some _people_ are worth changing for. “C’mere,” he melodiously beckoned her with wiggling fingers.

_And yet I’m still afraid to let it flow—_

Jackie placed her hands in his and was winched to her feet immediately. Billy guided her left hand to his shoulder and folded his left hand over her right. He rested his right hand at her lower back and guided her to step closer to him. Direct eye contact so close made the gesture that much more intimate. Her bare feet stepped onto the cool, spongy grass below as they started to sway to the music.

_What started out as friendship, has grown stronger—_

The audaciousness that had emerged as a result of all those months of sexual tension and flirtation ran out the door. Him being this close did something to her. Made her lose her mind. Made her lose herself in those oceanic eyes. Caused time to stop.

_I only wish I had the strength to let it show—_

This much eye contact with anyone else would have been uncomfortable, if not threatening. But, in this moment, it felt right. Sensual. Seductive. Safe. Jackie decided to rest her head against the top of his chest, nose inward towards his neck.

_I tell myself that I can’t hold out forever—_

Billy moved his chin to accommodate her as they swayed back and forth. He had never paid attention to these lyrics before, but he felt like this song was written for him and Jackie. How much longer could he fight this feeling? He shouldn’t have to fight it. Not if he is reading all the signs correctly.

_I said there is no reason for my fear—_

Jackie inhaled deeply and hummed, “You smell nice.”

Cologne, freshness, a trace scent of the beer he had been drinking, and nothing else. Without the pungent stench of cigarettes to overthrow his musk, she was truly able to enjoy the manly smell of him. So intoxicating and stimulating.

_‘Cause I feel so secure when were together—_

Billy smiled fondly at the compliment. One of the changes he had been working on. “I haven’t had a cigarette in nine days.” He was oddly proud of himself. “A really beautiful girl, who I kinda dig, told me I stink.”

_You give my life direction, You make everything so clear—_

Jackie smiled against his chest at the memory. She _had_ told him that he stinks. An embarrassing moment, really, that she hadn’t meant to come out so bluntly. And then she realized that he just called her beautiful. That he just admitted to being into her. Her eyes widened as the smile slowly faded into a surprised partition of lips. The music seemed to be drowned out by the sound of her own heart beating in her ears.

_And even as I wander, I’m keeping you in sight—_

Slowly, she lifted her head away from him to look at his face. The corners of his mouth elevated into the faintest of smiles. Eyes glued to her in adoration, shifting back and forth between her left and right eye, and then down to her parted lips. She glanced at his own lips in return, feeling an overwhelming rush of heat engulf her when his tongue poked out to lick his lips, and then his perfectly white teeth raked over his bottom lip enticingly.

Jackie wanted him. Wanted every single part of him. She would be a fool to not divulge her own attraction and desires to him.

“Are you going to kiss me or what?” she sweetly whispered and batted lashes over her doe eyes while they stared endearingly at each other.

_You’re a candle in the window, On a cold, dark winters night—_

Billy’s smile grew at her question. Their bodies were pressed together, no longer moving to the music, just standing and relishing the feeling of each other’s warmth and embrace. Breathing together as one, chests rising and falling in time.

Huskily, he divulged, “I was thinking about it.” He gently rubbed his thumb over her hand where they were connected.

_And I’m getting closer than I ever thought I might—_

This was about to happen. Jackie was sure of it. If he wouldn’t come down to her, she would move up to him. It was out in the open now. There was no denying the attraction that they felt towards one another.

Jackie looked at him, almost pleadingly. “Try not to think too lo—"

Billy swooped down and crashed his lips onto hers, cutting her off before she could finish her sentence.

_And I can’t fight this feeling anymore—_

Because she was right… there was no need to think too long or too hard about it. He wanted her, and he had passed up too many occasions to tell her and show her.

Jackie closed her eyes and moaned into his mouth as her hand found its way from his shoulder to the back of his neck, twisting small fingers into his loose curls. He wrapped both arms around her waist and lower back. Strong hands pulled her tightly against him and massaged up and down her back. Her other arm hooked under his, digging her nails into the fabric at his back.

He was an amazing kisser. There had been no doubts how good he would be; but, finally, after months of fantasizing, Jackie was able to speak from experience to know for a fact that he was good. Their tongues collided in between nipping and sucking on each other’s lips. The scratching sensation of his stubble against her mouth made her feel like a grown woman. Sexual and coveted. The miniscule discomfort of it proved to her that this was real life and not just a dream.

Billy’s hand slithered up her back and cupped the base of her skull, holding her in place as he deepened the kiss. Cheekily, his other hand dipped down to her ass and gently squeezed. It was round and pleasantly soft. Perfect for digging his fingers into the flesh for a sturdy embrace.

Jackie didn’t mind. She loved it. Had thought about his hands there many times. Loved feeling so desired by him. Having this intimate connection with him. Her fingernails raked down his back until she, too, grabbed at his firm ass through his jeans. Billy exhaled through his nose and groaned with satisfaction into her mouth. The sound of him expressing his pleasure made her tingle between her legs. She could feel her panties becoming damp.

As much as she loved feeling his lips on hers, she needed to take a breath. Wanted to look at him again. She pulled away. Billy chased after her for one more kiss, but then lifted his face from hers. He had a lustful glow about him, and it made it that much easier to say what she was about to say.

Rubbing her fingers lightly over his scalp, Jackie leaned forward and pressed tender kisses along his jawline. Billy sighed and arched his neck, allowing her better access to kiss where she wanted to. Where he wanted them. Her breathing was short and shallow as if she had been running for miles.

When she reached the back of his jaw, she breathlessly murmured, “Make love to me.”

It was both terrifying and relieving to have said it out loud. It was fast when considering that they weren’t even a couple; but, she felt like she had known him for her entire life. This moment with him was perfect, and it just felt right. It made sense.

Billy’s fingers dug into her, and his body stilled at her words. He was already half-hard. To hear such an intimate request coming from her mouth, seductive yet pure, lit him on fire from the inside out. _Make love._ Not have sex. Not fuck, or bang, or screw. _Make love._ He had never made love before. Sex, plenty of times, without the feelings attached that turns it into something more. With Jackie, though, the feelings were there. He wanted to do just that with her: make love.

Bringing his hands to her shoulders, he stepped back and studied her face. Flushed from the kissing, eyes alight with desire. “Jackie,” he breathed, looking guiltily into her blue eyes and shaking his head. “You deserve so much better than doing it in the backseat. Especially for your first time.”

She smiled and lifted herself to meet his lips again for a quick kiss. “Who said anything about the backseat?”

Billy cocked an eyebrow at her as she stepped back out of his grasp. He watched her hands go behind her back and realized as they lowered that she was unzipping her dress. The air between them was electric, zapping parts of him to life that he didn’t know existed.

The emerald green fabric loosened once fully unzipped. Jackie pushed the bunched material down over her breasts, her stomach, her hips, until it finally dropped to the blanket. Billy’s magnetic eyes followed the dress to the ground, partially dazed by the reality that this was really happening.

Heavily lidded eyes dragged up the length of her, soaking up every single inch of exposed skin. He had never seen her in such little clothing. Not even in a swimsuit. Yet, here she stood in the pallid moonlight, pale white skin contrasted against a black strapless bra and black panties. Nervous fingers weaved together in front of her before coming to rest at her side.

Gazing into each other’s eyes once more, Billy brought steady fingers to the remaining snap buttons of his shirt. With a firm grip on either side of his shirt, he pulled swiftly, each button breaking its hold, exposing his taut abdomen. He slipped the shirt back and down over his shoulders and arms, tossing it to the side.

He toed the heels of his boots and slid his feet out from them. Jackie stepped back and lowered herself onto the blanket. She propped herself up with her hands behind her and watched while Billy unbuckled his belt and undid the front of his pants. He paused, gripping the button of his jeans.

“Hang on,” Billy whispered, rushing to the passenger side to retrieve a condom from the glovebox.

Jackie reached behind her for the rolled blanket and covered herself up to her chest, suddenly feeling so exposed and self-conscious. Billy returned and tossed a foil sachet down next to her. She glanced and saw the circular outline of the condom within the gold packet. He stood in front of her at the bottom of the blanket, continuing to undress in front of her like she did for him. If he was as nervous as her, he didn’t let on. He pushed his jeans down all the way to his ankles and stepped out of them, kicking them off to the side. All that remained were his white boxer briefs and his socks.

A deep blush rushed to the surface of her cheeks as he pulled his boxers down and his erection sprang free. She wanted to look but at the same time felt embarrassed. Her underwear was still on. Beneath the shield of the blanket, Jackie shimmied out of her panties and tossed them to the side for Billy to see. His breathing became more audible as excitement fully took over. She peeked at him, in all his glory. Smirking, she quickly looked away. She wasn’t quite sure what to expect in regards to size and what was normal, but she was of the opinion that Billy was bigger than average. Not huge, but he should definitely be proud of what God had given him.

Billy crawled next to her and lifted the blanket enough to slide under it, meeting her heat with his own. He gently rested his hand against her cheek and brought themselves closer for another deep kiss. His hand travelled down her face to her waist, pulling her under him while at the same time shifting so that he was between her legs.

The weight of him on top of her was thrilling. She was about to give herself to Billy; fantasy about to become reality. The hardness pressed against her leg was so close to where she needed it. Kissing alone had been enough to fully arouse her, and him resting himself on top of her only made her that much wetter.

Curious fingers ventured lower and then caressed back up her leg, stopping between the two of them just short of her core. “Can I touch you?” he whispered against her mouth.

That voice saying those words while those eyes observed her face for any sign of trepidation caused her to shiver. She swallowed hard, wanting him to touch her everywhere. “Yes,” she uttered in return.

Billy wanted to watch her when his fingers brushed against her sex. To see the first waves of pleasure her face made in response to his touch, knowing that no other person had ever been witness to it. Jackie gasped and curled her fingers around his bicep, reactively raising her hips into his strokes. His own breathing hitched when he felt just how slick she was. Foreplay wasn’t needed. She was ready for him. But, that didn’t mean that he didn’t want to pleasure her in any way that he could.

He refrained from making comments about how wet she was. Some girls liked it; others were self-conscious about it. He didn’t know which one Jackie was just yet. For a first timer, it wasn’t something that needed to be mentioned; but, it sure did turn him on knowing that she was so responsive to him.

Using a slickened thumb, Billy drew small, pressurized circles over her clit and watched as her eyes closed, mouth opened to breathe out a small moan, and head wriggled back. Neck exposed, he plunged lower and placed wet kisses from base to chin, tongue followed by lips. Jackie squeezed his arm and forced him down to her for another kiss, this time a little more sloppy and heated.

“Can I finger you?” Billy croaked against her ear as he nuzzled more kisses along her jawline.

She hadn’t pictured Billy as being the kind, tender type to ask permission for everything, but it was appreciated. She bit her lip and nodded her head while barely whispering _yes_ , too focused on the need for something to be inside her to go along with the heavenly tingle he was creating with his thumb.

He watched her mouth part as he slowly slid one finger inside her and began pumping gently in and out. With the intensity in which she was turned on, it was effortless. Her cheeks were flushed, and her body writhed sluggishly beneath him. They kissed aimlessly. Mouth, jaw, chin, cheeks, neck. Wherever there was skin to kiss. Jackie gasped and moaned when Billy gradually added a second finger and curled them while inside of her, hitting a spot that she didn’t know needed attention.

“There,” she opened her eyes for the first time since he had started and met him with a hungry gaze. She bent her knees, planted her feet flat, and grinded her hips upward, deepening the strokes of his fingers inside of her.

Billy didn’t need further explanation. He knew that she was telling him that it felt good right there. He repeated the motion, curling and slithering his fingers against her sensitive, velvety spot, speeding up the flicks he was making with his thumb.

“Like that?” he breathed against her mouth, his own hips now rocking against her, desperate to experience pleasure like that which she was experiencing. His erection rubbed against her leg, drawing a thin trail of precum against her skin.

“Yeah,” Jackie gripped his hair tightly and moaned with a louder volume and higher pitch.

He captured her moans in his mouth as he sped up his movements. She exhaled roughly through her nose and accidentally bit down on his lip. He winced but didn’t stop; it was beautiful to see her lose control like that. He could feel the slightest tightening around his fingers. An orgasm was fast approaching.

Jackie’s back arched away from the blanket and her fingers pinched the back of his neck, holding him to her for a kiss so rough that she was convinced her lips would be bruised by morning. The feeling between her legs was intensifying. Her breathing was shaky and uneven, and each exhaled moan was louder than the last, until finally the most intense convulsions she ever experienced shot through her legs and abdomen at the explosion of pleasure that flooded her core.

A high-pitched sob echoed into the cloudy, night sky as Billy slowed his thrusts, allowing her to ride out her orgasm on his fingers before completely removing them. His hand was drenched with her, and he couldn’t wait for other parts of him to become drenched as well. He withdrew his fingers and propped himself on elbows over her, kissing her passionately before sitting up on his knees and grabbing the condom packet.

The blanket fell off his back as he stretched his torso. Jackie, breathing heavily and still craving him, sat up in front of him and reached behind her, quickly unhooking her bra, no longer feeling the same awkwardness and need to hide from him that she felt before. She tossed the undergarment to the side and laid back down, breasts fully on display in the moonlight. The cool, night air by the lake teased her nipples to peaks.

Billy rolled the condom onto his erect penis and looked down at her breasts. Experimentally, he reached a hand forward and massaged one, pulsing his fingers into her soft flesh and then lightly pinching a nipple between his fingers. She arched into his grasp and released a contented sigh. A smile twitched onto her lips in anticipation of the next pleasurable experience, loving the feeling of everywhere he had placed his hands. She raised her own hands to his chest, feeling his nipples and hard muscles covered by flawless skin.

“ _God,”_ he whispered, looking down at her. “You are so beautiful.”

She smiled as he collapsed forward onto his hands and kissed her lips again sweetly, tracing his tongue along her plump lips before it dove into her mouth. His hands were everywhere, moving from her face to her neck to her breasts before moving down to grip himself.

“I’ll go slow, okay?” he whispered reassurance to her as his hand guided his erection to her saturated entrance. “You tell me when you want me to move. Tell me if I’m hurting you, and I’ll stop. Okay?”

Jackie had never seen his face so soft. The harsh angles and square jaw, often so tense without the help of marijuana or alcohol, were the most relaxed she had ever seen. He was beautiful, too. Billy was being so attentive and caring toward her. Any fears that she had had previously about her first time being awful, awkward, and painful went out the window the moment he put his hands on her. She knew that he would take care of her, make her feel good.

She nodded and licked her lips, eager for him to be inside of her. “Okay. I trust you.”

 _Trust_. He didn’t know a person, dead or alive, who trusted him. Jackie was in the most vulnerable situation of her life, and she was fully trusting _him_ to take care of her. To keep her safe and unharmed. That familiar feeling of butterflies in his stomach when Jackie is around returned again.

A small smile appeared on his face as he examined her expression. She was serene, didn’t seem nervous at all. She looked at him like it was only ever just him and her. “Are you ready?” Their eyes longed for one another.

Jackie reached up to touch his cheek. He nuzzled into her hand, kissing her palm and then her wrist, before she traced her fingers back through his hair. The moonlight created a hazy, halo-like luminosity around his curls.

“I’m ready,” she breathed. Her fingers massaged his scalp behind his ear, brushing a few curls away from his face. “I want you.”

The only reason he was thankful for not being a virgin in this moment was because those words would have been enough to make him come undone. He didn’t know how long he would last, seeing as how this was Jackie. A virgin, yes, but also the one person that he had wanted for months. Dreams coming to life. No more imagining what it would be like with her. This was it.

He held onto himself as he slowly pushed his pelvis forward into her. His head slid in so easily with the added lubrication from the condom as well as her arousal. He stopped and looked at her for a reaction.

The dull sting hardly registered. With an approving nod, Jackie told him, “Keep going.”

Billy restrained himself and placed the smallest amount of weight down on top of her, gliding further inside where he wanted to be. She was tight around him, rubbed all over him in the right way. His eyes locked on hers. She squinted briefly, tugged on his hair, and pressed her nails into the dewy skin on his naked shoulders, but she nodded for him to continue. Once he was all the way inside, he paused to allow her to become acclimated to the new sensation and pressure. She licked her lips and arched her back, starting to move her own hips to feel him.

He smiled down at her, waiting just as he said he would until she told him to move. Orbiting her hips beneath him in a circular motion, Billy closed his eyes and moaned as a shiver ran up his spine at the sensation she was creating. Jackie briefly smiled, excited and proud that she did something that felt good to him.

“Billy,” Jackie whined avidly, pulling him down for a kiss. His stubble scratched her chin as he blindly came down to give her what she wanted. “I’m ready. I want to feel you.”

A groan rumbled out from his throat at the impact those words with that voice had on him. He opened his eyes and watched her again, wanting to witness more firsts when he started to move. She gasped and sighed with his first stroke back and then forward again, so much slower than what he was used to. He pulled back, nearly out, wanting her to feel every inch of him.

Jackie dragged her fingers all over his back, pulling him closer to her and scratching his back lightly as to relieve some of the tension in her extremities. The agony that she had convinced herself would ruin her first experience never reared its ugly head. It felt good. _He_ felt good.

Feeling comfortable with him so far, Jackie decided to take Billy’s instruction to be verbal. “You can go faster, if you want,” Jackie hissed when his last stroke hit a spot inside her that made her twitch.

Billy increased the pace of his thrusts, rolling his hips every few lunges, forcing soft moans to surge from Jackie’s quivering lips. When he dipped down to steal kisses, she arched her back to press her nipples against his rock-hard chest. The friction in multiple sensitive places at once started to rebuild that extraordinary feeling that she had experienced moments ago.

He peppered kisses along her jaw and down her neck to her shoulder. She moved in such a way to grant him easier access to these places. Billy ran his hand down her side and grabbed her thigh, hoisting it up over his hip.

“Wrap your legs around me,” Billy rasped, gently kneading the meat of her thigh as she hooked her legs around his waist.

Immediately, she felt him push deeper. She grunted and gasped as he filled her so gratifyingly. Billy licked and nipped at her throat. She wrapped her arm around his neck to keep him there, the pleasurable sensation of the delicate skin below her ear unravelling her quickly as he rubbed against her clit just right.

A pulsating flutter around his dick notified him that she was close to orgasming again. He wanted to make her feel good. It was, at times, a difficult task to make a girl cum during sex without fingers or certain positions being involved. He would be lying if he said it didn’t make him feel like a stallion when it happened.

Not only did his thrusts quicken, but he added more force behind them as well. Her body rocked up and down on the blanket. Their breathing became louder, harsher, raspier. A tightening feeling in the base of her belly was getting ready to snap, jolting every time he buried himself sharply inside of her.

“Billy,” Jackie’s lips dragged against his cheek, searching for his lips.

Sounds of their skin slapping together and wet, slurping kisses reverberated off the trees along with whatever song was playing on the handheld radio above them. She didn’t know if she was supposed to tell him that she was about to cum, but before she had enough time to deliberate, she was lost in a sudden nosedive to a deep abyss of pure ecstasy. She broke their kiss to cry out in bliss and jabbed her fingers into his skin to avoid falling too far.

Billy moaned beside her ear, feeling her constrict around him in pulsing ripples adding to his own pleasure and upcoming orgasm. He jerked his hips forward several more times, fast and forceful, until he climaxed with a low growl in her ear. Sputtering to a slow stop, Billy buried his nose in Jackie’s neck. The harsh breaths against her sweaty skin chilled her instantly.

She hugged him against her chest, relishing the heaviness blanketing over her, keeping her safe and warm. After a few seconds of laying like that, Billy shifted to plant a kiss against her cheek and then another one on her lips.

Propping himself up on his elbows, he smiled down at Jackie as his breath started to even out. “How was that?”

Jackie huffed a light chuckle, still working on catching her own breath. “Amazing,” she lifted her head and grabbed his face with both hands, pulling him in for one more tongue kiss.

“Better than you imagined?” Billy grinned. His eyes beamed hopefully.

She smiled back. “Yeah.” It truly was nothing like she imagined it being.

A devilish grin appeared on his handsome face. “So… you’ve thought about it? With me?”

Jackie blushed and covered her eyes with one of her hands as she chuckled bashfully.

“Hey,” Billy cooed, gently prying her hand away from her face. “It’s okay. I’ve thought about it, too. A lot.”

That made her blush even more. He felt himself softening inside her, so he reached down to pull himself out the rest of the way and then rolled over to lay beside Jackie. A soft breeze swept over the water, cooling their sweaty skin. He reached down and brought the blanket up over their bodies, motioning for Jackie to snuggle into his chest. She scooted closer to him, wrapping her arm over his waist, resting her head on his bicep, and allowing him to sling his other hand over her back, where his hand occasionally brushed up and down from mid back to butt.

“How long have you thought about it?” Jackie gathered the courage to ask.

The arm which she was laying on curled at the elbow so that he could stroke her hair. _Now’s not the time to be shy._ “Honestly?” he smirked. “Since that first week I met you.”

“Really?” she smiled widely, shifting her head to look up at him. He looked down at her and hummed his affirmation. “What took you so long?”

Billy snorted. “I told you. Your brother gave me the speech. Why? How long have you thought about it?”

Jackie grinned and licked her lips. _Moment of truth._ “I guess… about as long as you.”

“Shit,” Billy placed his hand on her hip again and inched closer to her. “You mean, we could have been doing this this whole time?” He pressed his lips against hers.

Billy’s reputation had always been one-and-done. He was never the kind to stick around with one girl. He moved along like the hands of a clock. She had never wanted to be one of the notches on his bedpost. She wasn’t the kind of girl that would be okay with one hot night of passion and then being dropped like a bad habit. _We could have been doing this this whole time?_

“Are things going to change? With us?” Jackie asked with hesitation, afraid that he would want to move on after having gotten a taste of the forbidden fruit.

Billy knew what she was asking. Could see the anxiety about being loved and then abandoned. He had the same fear. It’s why he always was the one to do the loving and the abandoning. But, he was ready for change.

“God, I hope so,” he smiled, leaning into her for another kiss.


	8. Rhythm of the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jackie and Billy spend the rest of the evening together and talk about what will happen next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: More sexy time :)

It was nearly ten o’clock by the time they walked inside Benny’s. A bathroom break and a late-night snack was needed. Billy and Jackie met after returning from the restrooms and chose a corner booth in the far end of the 24-hour joint. Billy retrieved two menus from where they were propped inside the silver caddy against the wall and handed one to Jackie.

Jackie had let her hair down. Voluminous curls cascaded past her sleek shoulders. The elegant curve of her neck was made visible when she swept her hair off to one side. Her eyes scanned over the menu resting flat on the tabletop. Billy held his menu but peered above it to steal glances at her. She mindlessly twirled a section of her hair in her fingers, distracting him from his growing hunger.

Feeling that she was being watched, she peeked up. Billy smirked at her and wiggled his eyebrows. Despite his back facing the few other late-night patrons, Jackie feared that everyone would know what they had been up to if he kept staring at her like that. Jackie exhaled a bashful laugh sharply through her nose, head still reeling from what they had done. _Twice._

“Stop it,” she blushingly chastised in a hushed voice.

His smile broadened at her coyness. “ _You_ stop it,” Billy wagged his tongue suggestively.

Jackie chuckled and just about touched her chin to the top of her chest to avoid his stare while she looked over the menu. She must have read the same items five times by now, but she retained none of the information. Her thoughts kept wandering back to Billy. The way his eyes worshipped her body; how his skilled hands knew just the right way to massage and caress her; how his soft lips felt against her skin when they were wet or dry.

Vinyl bench creaking beneath him as he shifted forward, Billy leaned his elbows on the table and spoke lowly. “You know what I wanna do as soon as we leave here?”

Jackie smirked when she raised her eyes to meet his. Eagerness to hear his plans died down when she caught movement in her peripheral vision. An older, stocky woman wearing a black waist apron was approaching with a pen and pad.

“Billy, _shhh,_ ” Jackie quietly warned him of other ears nearby.

He licked his lips and smiled, finding her bashfulness endearing. Now that the initial moments of seeing and experiencing each other in the flesh had passed, he was looking forward to turning their explicit flirtation into standard foreplay. To whisper dirty, needful things to her and then make them happen directly after.

Ignoring what he thought was merely just first-time jitters following post-coital bliss, he dragged his teeth slowly over his bottom lip and kept talking. The deep, gravelly tenor of his voice was suggestive enough of what was on his mind. “I wanna take you back to the lake and feel those thighs wrap around my he—”

“ _Hiii,”_ Jackie hurriedly corrected her posture and sat up straight, interrupting Billy and looking overly innocent at the waitress that stopped at their table.

“Well, don’t you look fancy this evening,” the woman smiled and complimented Jackie with genuine regard. Her eyes nearly disappeared behind her chubby, wrinkled cheeks.

“Oh,” Jackie sighed and looked down at the front of her dress, realizing it was a tad crooked on her chest from the groping that occurred just before they left the car to come inside the diner. She gripped the material and casually adjusted it with Billy’s eyes focused on the action. “Thank you. I just came from the prom.”

“Aww, how nice, dear.” The woman then looked to the young man sitting across from the beautiful girl. Ruggedly handsome but not dressed as fancily. Light blue jeans and a red button-down shirt that didn’t match her ensemble, with the buttons partway undone to expose a hairless chest and gold pendent necklace. “And you?” she asked, tone of voice clearly judgmental.

“Oh, I came _after,_ ” he flashed a toothy grin as he sat and spoke with confidence.

Jackie’s eyes widened in shock and mortification. She nudged his shin with mild force beneath the cover of the table. He hardly flinched— just shifted his eyes to take in her quiet expression. Beneath that warning look she gave him came an amused grin. Luckily, the waitress was either too old or too daft to understand the sexual nature of his comment.

The waitress’s expression softened a little. Billy tended to have that effect on women when he spoke. Voice as smooth as molasses and just as warm and sweet, when he wanted it to be.

“Well, what can I get you kids to drink? Do you need a few more minutes to look over the menu? We have the best burgers in Hawkins.” She looked back and forth between the two teens, spending a little more time eyeing Billy than she did Jackie.

“I’m ready,” Jackie said, glancing at Billy for his input.

“You go first,” Billy nodded at her and then looked back down at the menu.

She wasn’t terribly famished. Before all the excitement happened at the prom, she had eaten a full meal there. The activities that she had engaged in with Billy did leave her feeling a bit hungry, though.

“Could I please have a Cherry Coke, and an order of the cheese fries, please?” Jackie politely ordered, returning the menu to its holding place. She was excited that Benny’s had the new cherry drink available.

“Of course, honey. And for you, darlin’?” She warmed up to Billy quite fast. 

“Well,” Billy rolled his head to look at her nametag, “Wendy. I’ll have the shortstack. With hash browns and bacon.” He returned the menu, as well.

The waitress smiled, her guard now completely down at the way Billy had crooned her name. “And to drink, darlin’?”

“A cup of coffee.” Billy looked at Jackie while Wendy jotted down his order. “I need my energy,” he winked and bit his tongue playfully at her.

“You got it, kids,” Wendy winked and then waltzed off to the kitchen, a little more pep in her step than when she had initially approached.

Jackie watched the waitress walk away and then burst into laughter. Billy’s white teeth flashed in front of her, cheeks rounded high into a smile.

“Do you realize the effect you have on women?” Jackie jested at how the waitress’s entire demeanor changed following interacting with him.

Smile never faltering, he clasped his fingers together on the tabletop and replied, “The only effect I care about is the one I have on you.”

“Oh, but you don’t seem to mind me squirming in my seat at mentioning to our waitress about how you _came_ after prom,” Jackie raised her eyebrows and feigned annoyance at him. It had been a minor embarrassment, but, in actuality, it was more of a turn-on.

Billy shook his head and wrinkled his forehead as he arched an impish eyebrow at her. “I don’t mind at all. In fact—”

“Here you go,” Wendy hummed pleasantly as she placed their drinks in front of them. They each said their thanks to her before she left to make her rounds. Jackie was happy that she left so quickly, eager to hear what Billy was about to say.

“In fact,” Billy continued, leaning back in his seat and rubbing his palms against his thighs, “I have another place I wouldn’t mind you squirming.”

Heat rushed to her cheeks, her chest, and between her legs. The implication of what he was saying was not lost on her. “You’re a pervert,” she murmured contentedly, too aroused to allow herself to feel embarrassed now. She always enjoyed the bold, frisky things he said to her.

“What, did you think that just because you’re my girl now that the dirty talk would stop?” Billy reached a hand to the inside of his shirt and scratched his chest.

Jackie’s heart fluttered at him referring to her as _his girl_. Excitement filled her belly and head in a massive rush that made her feel lightheaded. She kind of wanted to punch Tommy for giving them both _the talk_. It kept them on a strictly friend basis for the past seven months. On the other hand, she supposed that it all led up to this night, which had been the best, most exciting, night of her life.

“I was hoping it wouldn’t,” she admitted with pink cheeks and lovestruck eyes.

“Good,” that devilish grin returned, lust and desire dripping from his mouth as he spoke. “Because I have seven months of catching up to do.”

“What are you talking about?” Jackie smirked with skepticism and slowly spun her cold glass on the table, leaving a ring of condensation at its base. “You’ve been dirty talking me the whole time you’ve known me.”

His glistening tongue jutted out and traced along his lower lip. “No, baby,” his voice seemed to lower an octave. “That was just the warmup. If you knew the things I truly wanted to say and do to you, you probably wouldn’t have given me the time of day.”

Jackie bit her lip because it was the only thing she could think to do to keep from moaning at the dirty thoughts running through her mind. Her underwear was ruined for the evening. Billy was working her up from across the table, and it was torture to think that she wouldn’t be able to do anything about it until they left the restaurant. She wondered if he would be up for round three.

Her perky breasts heaved up and down while she panted, “What did I get myself into with you?”

The ability to now be so freely open with Jackie excited him more than any porno or titty magazine ever had. “Well, for starters, lots and lots of orgasms,” Billy rasped while watching her lips enclose around the straw to her drink. He was sure that she took an extra long time with the straw on purpose, allowing it to graze along her bottom lip before she took a sip. “Whenever and wherever you want,” he gazed into her eyes again with potent desire.

She wasn’t too confident that she was going to make it to the end of their meal, and the food hadn’t even come out yet. She recalled thinking about how his threat of spanking her the other day had been her favorite thing to come out of his mouth to date, but now he was filling her brain with all kinds of stimulating ideas.

“Keep talking like that, and maybe _you’re_ the one that needs to be spanked,” she suggested. Wow, did horniness really bring out the fearlessness in her.

Billy’s eyebrows twitched provocatively. “ _Maybe_.”

He was definitely up for a third round after this. She felt it everywhere. Could tell by the way he stared into her eyes and watched her mouth any time she wrapped her lips around the straw. She was already thinking about when they would be able to do it again after tonight was over. There was no way he would be able to sneak away from Tommy for that long when he was over at the house. Judging from how hard he could make her climax, there was no way she could trust herself to be quiet enough to do it while anyone in her house was home. And she could already hear Max’s appalled voice asking her, _‘Really? Out of all the guys in the world, you chose him?’_

“Billy,” Jackie’s tone became serious.

He noticed the change in her voice but continued to ogle her like she was his last meal. “Hmm?”

She searched his face for an answer before she even asked the question. “What happens after tonight?” _Curious minds want to know._ “I mean… with Tommy and Max and school.”

Billy shrugged his shoulders as if the answer was so simple. “We tell them we’re together. And fuck everyone else.” He leaned closer over the table and quietly revealed, “You know, I heard that the janitor’s closet in B-wing is never locked and hardly accessed during the day.”

The response he gave thrilled her. For him to be ready to announce to the world that she was his and he was hers sent lightning bolting through her veins. Not to mention, the daring proposal of a midday location for a secret tryst had her considering if she would actually go that far while in school. Billy was corrupting her, and she loved every deplorable minute of it.

“I’m nervous about telling Tommy,” Jackie admitted. Billy was his friend, but, still, he had told her to not fall for him. And, boy, did she fall hard.

“Why?” Billy scoffed at the absurdity. “You said it yourself: he couldn’t claw his way out of a wet paper bag.” He didn’t seem to share the same hesitation in telling Tommy that she did.

“I thought you said not to underestimate my brother,” she raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms. “Besides, are you ready for Max to get all up in our business?”

He looked off to the side at nothing in particular and pondered. At this point, he wasn’t sure who would be more vocal about their relationship: Max or Tommy. Max would definitely be annoying about it, and he knew that he would have to share Jackie with her. After all, she couldn’t just abandon a friendship. It was going to be weird, though, having her at the house. He wouldn’t be able to make love to her there. Not unless _everyone_ was gone. The walls were paper-thin, and Max often voiced her distaste to him in private about hearing the girls in his bedroom proclaim their worship to God. Tommy would probably sigh in exasperation and say something along the lines of, _‘Dude, what part of ‘My dad owns a shotgun and a shovel’ did you **not**_ _understand?’_

Billy chuckled to himself at the thought. “I mean, I’m not looking forward to either conversation. But, I can handle it. I’ll just think of you as my consolation prize.” He winked and tongued at his canine.

Jackie beamed at his willingness to put up with their own Inquisition. “Okay,” she bit her lip, feeling somewhat ashamed at what she was about to ask. “Can we maybe just wait until after Memorial Day?” This was a long holiday weekend. There was no school on Monday. Plenty of time to lie about plans to go to a friend’s house but really be spending the day alone with Billy.

“Uhh,” he mumbled with a confused expression, “okay?”

She smirked and said, “I just… I like sneaking around with you. I want to enjoy it for a few days.”

Billy grinned at the naughty proposition. “Sweetheart, trust me. Between your brother being who he is and my stepsister being who she is, we will be sneaking around for a _long_ time. At least, when it comes to doing the no-pants-dance.”

Wendy brought their food, and the two engaged in conversation as they ate. They talked about lunch arrangements in the cafeteria and Jackie making plans to come to his house after school to hang out with Max and then Billy _driving her home._ It would be easy enough for his Dad, Susan, and Max to assume that he simply got held up in conversation with Tommy. They knew how chatty he could be. Their horny minds even came up with plans for Jackie to lie about being invited to hang out with Max while Billy was at their house, and asking Billy if he would mind just taking her with him when he went home. Then, the two could drive to the quarry or the lake.

“I wonder how much a hotel room costs,” Jackie thought out loud as she sipped the remainder of her Coke from the bottom of the glass.

Without hesitation, Billy gnawed on his bacon and answered, “Seventeen ninety-five at the Motel 6.” She arched her brow at him and felt a twinge of jealousy. He realized how his response must have sounded. “I looked into it when Neil kicked me out one night. I didn’t have the money, hence why I now have the blankets in my car.”

Jackie felt relieved. Why the jealousy, she didn’t know. She knew she wasn’t his first. Not by a long shot.

“Right,” she giggled. “The blankets that weren’t _those_ kinds of blankets.”

Billy spoke with a mouthful. “They _aren’t._ ” His tone was near defensive.

Jackie crinkled her nose and stuck her tongue teasingly between her teeth. “Well, they are _now._ ”

He briefly paused his chewing and then smirked, resuming mastication until he was able to swallow the bite. “Yeah, I guess they are,” he chuckled at the realization. “And I’m serious about the hotel,” he shook his head. “I never spent the night with any girl, if that’s what you’re wondering.” 

Jackie held her hand up lightly. “It’s none of my business what you did before me.”

Billy shook his head with regret. “I wish I would’ve made a move on you sooner,” he took a sip of his coffee. _Two creams, two sugars,_ she noted for later use. “Things would’ve been real different.”

“Yeah? How so?”

He wanted to be an open book with her but teetered on the line of what to share and what would hurt her to hear. “I never slept with the same girl twice,” he revealed, looking her over for her reaction. Her lips tugged into a small smile. _As it turns out, she **was** his first, in a way. _“And, I know it makes me sound like a sleazeball, but the only reason why there were… other… girls,” he stopped himself from saying _so many other_ _girls,_ “was because I got so worked up being around you, and I felt like I never stood a chance with you.”

Wendy came along to check on them and left the check on the table when they insisted they were full and needed nothing else. Jackie had been so giddy before their meal to get out of there and jump his bones, but she wanted to stay to hear his confessions.

“Why?”

If anything, she felt like she didn’t stand a chance with him. A California god, chiseled out of stone by Michaelangelo and handpicked by Aphrodite. Handsome and charming enough to have anyone he wanted, and yet he chose a freckle-faced girl from Hawkins, Indiana.

He shrugged and smiled bashfully. _Billy. Bashful. Can you believe it?_ “Aside from being my best friend’s sister, and my sister’s best friend, you’re just… perfect. And I somehow always manage to fuck things up, and I’ve convinced myself that I don’t deserve to be happy. So why even bother?”

Jackie had been to his house often enough to hear how his father spoke to him. That was _Neil_ coming through. _Neil_ had convinced him that he was a _‘no good piece of shit that will never amount to anything.’_

“So, what changed tonight?”

Billy pouted sinfully. “I’m always happy when I’m with you.” She smiled at the sweet disclosure. “I think I just needed to know that you’re happy when you’re around me, too.”

Confidently, she assured him. “I am.”

His face would probably hurt tomorrow from the amount of smiling he was doing tonight. He reached into his back pocket for his wallet to pay the bill. Meanwhile, Jackie bit her lip as she thought about his previous admission.

“So,” she said huskily. “I get you really worked up, huh?”

He placed a few bills on the table along with the check. With a nod of his head, he chuckled. “Yeah. I, uh,” he stopped talking when Wendy stopped by to collect payment. “I don’t need any change, love,” he winked at her and she thanked him, exchanging pleasantries to have a nice night. When she left, he continued with his hushed, throaty speech to Jackie. “I jerked off in your bathroom that day you answered the door in your little blue sleep number.”

Eyes widened in shock at the brave, personal, and intimate confession. “Really?” she asked quietly, feeling her insides tingle at the image of him pleasuring himself while thinking of her.

Billy bit his lip and bobbed his head in affirmation. “I jerk off thinking of you _a lot._ ” Talking about it was making him hot. “The other day when you rode home with me and Max…” he stopped and raised his eyebrows, a silent completion of the sentence that didn’t need to be spoken.

“No,” Jackie gasped in disbelief. _God, at least **twice**_ _he has pleasured himself with me in the same house; just on the other side of the wall!_ “Well, if we’re exchanging confessions here,” she inched forward on her seat. “When I got in the backseat that day at school, I stopped with my ass in the air, hoping you would smack it. At the very least, that you would take a nice long look at it.”

“And look, I did. I had a semi the whole drive home.”

Jackie secretly slipped her shoe off under the table, cautious to not make sudden movements that would alert anyone to what she was doing. The table separating her from Billy was not very wide. Maybe two feet. It was short enough for her to be able to lift her leg and allow her foot to make contact with his crotch.

Billy’s eyes widened and he looked down, in surprise, at her bare foot massaging him through his jeans. When he observed her across the table again, she was propping her head up on her hand, biting her lip to contain a smirk. The pressure and friction she was creating against his zipper brought a small shudder to his shoulders and a soft sigh from his throat.

He spread his legs a little bit and lowered his hand to her foot. His palm gently rubbed against the top of her foot, fingers kneading her arch as he pressed her firmer against his hardening penis. She curled her toes and rolled her ankle.

“I feel really bad about getting you so riled up all these months,” Jackie alluringly uttered. His hand glided over her foot to her shin and gripped around her calf before stroking back down. “Why don’t we get out of here, and I’ll make it up to you?”

Billy’s lashes fluttered at her offer and he felt his stomach drop. Billy smirked and peered at her through half lidded eyes. “You’re a little hellion tonight, you know that? Full of surprises.”

Jackie smiled and moved her foot to caress his inner thigh. “What can I say? You bring it out of me.” She pressed up against his crotch again, eliciting a grunt that to anyone nearby would have just sounded like he was clearing his throat.

He squeezed her foot. “I’d rather be putting it _in_ you.”

She shuddered at the raunchy dialogue they shared. Retracting her foot from him, she wiggled it back inside her shoe. “Then let’s get out of here,” she suggested, sliding to the end of the bench.

“I need a minute,” Billy looked down and closed his eyes, trying to wish himself soft so he wouldn’t need to walk through the restaurant with a raging boner.

Jackie chewed on her bottom lip and watched him. His shoulders rose and fell with each deep breath he took. She could see that he was working hard to return himself to a less aroused state. After a minute, he felt comfortable enough to stand without being outed.

“Let’s go,” he grabbed her hand and practically dragged her out the door.

The wind had picked up and thunder rumbled throughout the sky. A light drizzle speckled the windshield as Billy turned the Camaro onto the dirt lane leading back to Lake Jordan. He returned to their previous parking space in between a few trees, overlooking the water. It appeared black now that the moon was hidden behind the clouds. Lightning struck far off in the distance, briefly illuminating the sky to show the dark treeline far across the lake. Thunder rolled a few seconds later. Rain poured down in sheets, thumping harshly against the metal roof in uneven beats as it broke through the leafy barrier of the maple trees surrounding them.

“Shit,” Billy griped with frustration as he leaned forward and squinted his eyes to peer through the blurry windshield.

Jackie didn’t see the problem. All this meant was that they wouldn’t be returning to the grassy bank for their next lovemaking session. Despite Billy telling her she deserved better than the backseat, Jackie didn’t mind it. One of her fantasies was having sex with him in the backseat of his car. She thought she had made it obvious the other day with her comment about test-riding.

She slid her shoes off and left them in the footwell of the passenger side. Opening the glovebox, she reached in and seized a foil packet between her fingers from the opened carton. Billy looked over at her when she raised her buttocks off the seat and reached under her dress to shimmy out of her panties.

“Looks like I’ll just have to do you in the backseat,” she shrugged without a care, tossing her underwear onto his lap.

Not waiting for a response, she shifted in her seat and climbed over the center console to get to the back of the car. She crawled directly behind Billy and waited for him. He ran his thumb over the damp spot of her panties and then turned his head to view her in his peripheral vision. A crooked smile appeared.

“You do _me?”_ He had caught the way she phrased it.

Jackie tipped forward and burrowed her nose into the soft curls resting behind his ear. She gripped the top of his seat in one hand and reached her other arm around to palm his chest, condom packet in hand rubbing against his bare skin. Billy brought his hand up to hers, taking the condom and then grazing her hand with his calloused fingers.

Whispering with a racy edge, she caressed his chest and informed him, “I want to make you feel good.”

The wets of his eyes gleamed as another bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. “You _do_ make me feel good,” he told her.

Her needy fingers wrapped around the open flap of his shirt and tugged backward. “Then get back here and let me show you how much I want you.”

The front of his pants were becoming tighter. To think that just a few short hours ago Jackie was a virgin, and now she was pulling him into the backseat of his own car with erotic intentions. He wondered if he had truly corrupted her or if she was this naughty the whole entire time but never had the opportunity to show it.

Billy turned quickly and stumbled into the backseat. Jackie quickly moved over to allow him room to sit down. He sat in the middle of the leather shrouded bench and wrapped his arm around Jackie’s shoulders, pulling her against him for a lengthy, deep kiss. He tasted like maple syrup, sweet and delectable.

She was anxious at the idea she had to take control this time, to be on top of him. But, she had a desire to take care of him as good as he had taken care of her. She knew there was more than one way to have sex. It didn’t always have to be the guy on top of the girl. _What was it called? Missionary?_ Billy had even said himself that he knew of a place he wouldn’t mind her squirming. Now was as good a time as any to hop into his lap and squirm.

Breaking away from the kiss, Jackie pushed past her insecurities and swung her leg over his thighs. With either leg pressed against the outside of his, she sat in his lap and resumed kissing his luscious lips. It was a different experience: sitting taller than him. Her hands brushed from his face to the back of his head, combing through his hair and massaging his scalp in irregular patterns as she faintly rocked her hips against his bulge.

“You wanna do it like this?” Billy murmured in between kisses, his roaming hands pushing up her dress as he stroked her thighs. He clearly recalled picturing them in this position the last time he had masturbated in his room.

She nodded her head, bowing into him as his hands slid behind her and started to tug at the zipper holding her dress up. “Is that okay?” she asked permission to be in control, not wanting to damage his machismo.

For some reason, her zipper sounded louder when he was the one undoing it. A shiver danced along her back as his fingertips grazed the dip of her spine while he slowly undid her dress.

“Yeah,” he whispered. “You know what you’re doing?” he playfully smirked while tugging on the loose material to pull it down away from her breasts.

At first, she wasn’t sure if she should be offended or not. Was he implying that she was stupid or just inexperienced? She decided to go with the latter. Out of all the things that Billy had said to her, her intelligence had never once come into play.

Exhales becoming breathier with her bra so close to his face, Jackie panted, “How hard can it be?”

He looked directly into her eyes as his fingers unclasped the hooks and eyes of her bra in one effortless motion. Dragging it away from her body, he brought his hands back up to her breasts and cupped them firmly. She threw her head back and pressed into his hands. Just the right amount of pressure and torque on her nipples sent a jittery quake to her hips. She sighed at the combined attention to her breasts and her womanhood below against the rough denim seam.

With her breasts directly in front of his face, Billy allowed temptation to get the better of him. He leaned forward and took a nipple into his mouth, flicking the hardened peak with his tongue while his other hand continued to massage its twin. Jackie gasped and moaned as he increased the amount of suction and his teeth scraped against the delicate bud. Seeing how much she enjoyed him doing that, he repeated the licks and gentle pulls on her other nipple, only stopping when she forcefully grabbed his hair and tugged him away from her.

He glanced up at her face, surprised and turned on by the mixture of pain with pleasure. She dipped down to kiss him on the mouth. As their tongues swirled around each other, Jackie began to increase the motion of her hips, completely unaware that her slickness was soaking into his jeans with every stroke.

Billy’s hands slipped between their tight bodies to unbuckle his belt. “Just like that,” he encouraged her continued grinding movements against him. He noticed the dampness along the folds of his jeans where his zipper was enclosed. It made him groan with enthusiasm knowing that he would have a reminder of where Jackie had been even after they were finished. His knuckles brushed against her wet heat as he pulled down his zipper and raised his hips.

Jackie knew she would need to stop and allow him room to slip out of his jeans, but the sensation against her core was growing the longer she rubbed against him. She didn’t want to stop but needed him inside of her. She could already feel her entrance throbbing and pulsating like it was seeking him out. She stopped moving and sat up on her knees, reaching behind her to help pull his jeans down as he accomplished slipping his pants and boxers over his thighs. Jackie pushed them back until they fell to his shins.

Billy spread his knees apart as Jackie waited. He voraciously reached for the packet and swiftly tore it open. Jackie permitted herself to watch him roll it over his hardened penis, eager for it to be ready to fill her. She had noticed the way it sort of curved to the left just slightly. How it was shaped to perfectly hit that sweet spot inside of her and make her clench around him.

“Back and forth like you were doing is fine,” Billy rasped hungrily as he reached the base of his penis. “Up and down feels good, too.” He held onto his erection with one hand and grasped her hip with the other to bring her down onto himself. She held onto his shoulders while she lowered herself onto him. “Just,” he grunted as he pushed into her vagina and she gasped, “do whatever feels right. You can’t go wrong.”

Being on top, she found instantly, allowed her to rule how deep he went inside of her. She gradually lowered herself onto him, feeling like he hadn’t been as far in before as what she was taking him now. He tossed his head back with eyes shut and mouth agape. A sensual whimper escaped Jackie’s throat as she felt her labia touch him at his base. Nestled fully inside her, she slid her hands under his shirt and clamped her fingers around his shoulders firmly as she experimentally rolled her hips back and forth along his length.

“Oh my God,” she quivered, finding it unfathomable that sex with him could have gotten any better than it had been the two times before this.

“Does that feel good, Jackie?” Billy’s voice scratchily sighed. Jackie furrowed her brows and nodded her head, too absorbed in the incredible carnality she was feeling.

After a few slow strokes back and forth, she decided to try her movements up and down. Pressing weight onto her knees, she lightly bounced in his lap. Her breasts swept against his face, and he buried his head within them, offering sweet kisses and tiny licks when he was aware enough to do so. He sucked on her nipple and ran his hands all over the smooth of her back. Ultimately, she decided that she enjoyed the friction better when she slid back and forth on him.

Once she had found her rhythm, Billy’s hands came to rest on her hips. He bit his lip and held it between his teeth while his fingers dug into her skin and began guiding her movements a little faster against him. Billy was the more experienced of the two; he knew what he was doing. He knew what felt good to him and probably what would feel good to her. The increased speed of her grinding and rubbing felt sinful. Inspired by his deep moans and contorted expressions of pleasure, Jackie quickened the pace even further.

The closed in space was becoming humid as the rain started to die down. Their ragged breaths hit against each other’s sticky skin as their desire intensified. Billy held onto her hips and fixed his feet flat against the floor to buck up into her. Jackie gasped and cried out in startlement at the sudden robust jab to her insides.

“I’m sorry,” Billy stilled, looking up at her and rubbing his thumbs over her skin. “Did I hurt you?”

It hadn’t really hurt so much as it took her by surprise. She shook her head. “Do it again,” she fervently breathed.

A tiny smirk pulled at the edges of his mouth. He licked his lips and firmly gripped Jackie’s hips again, thrusting his own hips upward as she slid forward on him. She cried out again and lurched her head forward. Long, silky tresses smacked against his face as she lowered to him for a passionate kiss.

Relieved that she liked the rough addition to their lovemaking, he worked on recreating some parts from his daydream. His fingers swept threw her hair and pushed it behind her shoulders. Grasping a fistful of her locks, he tugged back with moderate force. Jackie hissed and her movements wavered for only a second, before she giggled and continued to ride him. He leaned forward and kissed her exposed neck while again tugging on her hair.

She yanked on his hair, too— matching his force exactly. He smiled and bucked beneath her again, repeating his thrusts with every forward stroke. Jackie wasn’t as shy with him as he had envisioned her being. He had taken his fair share of virginities, and so often they just laid there and let him do all the work. But, Jackie… she rolled her hips, wriggled beneath him, pulled his hair, bit his lip, kissed and touched in all the right places, and squirmed around in his lap like her life depended on it.

Her moans became more frequent and higher pitched as she felt a built up energy sizzling between her legs and deep within her gut. Billy knew she was close to climaxing based on the sounds and twisted faces she was making. He kept his pelvis still, not wanting to disrupt the patterns and rhythms that was working so well for her in this moment. To add to her pleasure, he simply licked his thumb and index finger and pinched her nipple, rolling it around between his fingertips.

Jackie jolted forward and stilled with him deep inside of her, clenching around his penis in steady pulses. She tried to move again, but the sensitivity between her legs was too intense to tolerate. She kissed Billy’s neck just under his ear lobe as he sang low moans of his own at feeling her squeeze him.

“I can’t,” she panted into his ear, whole body shivering. “I’m way too sensitive to keep moving.” She felt embarrassed and guilty for stopping before Billy had a chance to finish.

Billy wrapped his arm behind her lower back and swiftly rotated their bodies to lay her on the seat so he could take over. He slipped out of her, needing to rearrange themselves. He miscalculated the distance to the edge of the seat, however, and accidentally hit her head off the back inside panel of the wall.

“Ow,” Jackie softly groaned and covered her head where it had bumped against the solid surface.

Billy couldn’t help but chuckle at the raw impulsivity of it all when she smiled and scrunched her face. “Sorry,” his face lit up and kissed her lips softly as an apology.

Jackie wiggled down onto the seat to give herself some leeway so she wouldn’t bump her head again. Billy struggled for a moment to kick one foot free from his boot and his pants. He leaned one knee on the seat and rested the other against the edge of the seat as he stretched his leg behind him and planted his foot on the floor. She spread her legs for him and hoisted the skirt of her dress up for him to reenter her.

He penetrated her again and quickly picked up the pace to where they had been previously. The car rocked from side to side in the private concealment of the trees. Billy held Jackie’s thigh up over his hip. Her skin stuck to the warm leather underneath her, feeling a slight tug with each thrust that pushed her up and down.

Jackie curled her fingers around the wrist that was nearest to her head. She turned to face it and kissed his forearm. Veins popped up to the surface as he strained to hold himself above her. The backseat wasn’t the most comfortable of places; this position wasn’t the most comfortable for the backseat. While her lips were pressed against his forearm, Billy descended his own lips to her neck.

Jackie mewled with delight and felt goosebumps form on her skin as he kissed just under her jaw. Billy grinned against her neck and kissed her again there, poking his tongue out to massage the reactive spot and then latching his lips around the wet mark he had made. She tasted slightly salty. No doubt from the perspiration they had been secreting behind fogged windows.

It was fun getting to know Jackie in this way. Discovering the things that she liked, where her most sensitive places were. She _really_ liked being kissed on her neck below her ear. It was a shame that the location was so visible. He didn’t want to stop licking and kissing and sucking there, but he knew he would have to in order to not mark her up for all to see. But, _oh God,_ how that excited him. For everyone to know that he had been there, that she was his girl.

He could feel a tightening in his groin rising. Her slick walls, so smooth and taut, were milking him of all he had. Fingernails pierced the meaty flesh at her thigh as his thrusts hardened and pistoned between her legs to bring him to climax. Jackie whined his name and that was what did it. Billy grunted roughly as he stilled, fully sheathed within her, and moaned with parted lips and closed eyes. His body jerked as he came, grateful for the satisfaction but saddened that it was over.

It took several seconds for the shockwaves to wear off. Billy smiled down at Jackie, completely enchanted by her. She smiled back, brushing damp hairs away from his face and behind his ears.

“You really like it when I kiss you here,” he stated rather than asked, dipping down to kiss that delicate spot below her ear.

She bit her lip and smiled with a sigh at the return of his lips. “It feels really good.” Her hands swiped up and down his large arms.

Billy’s shirt was damp under his armpits and against his back. He passingly thought that he should have removed it, but it didn’t matter now. He pulled himself out of her and sat on the seat, grabbing her hand and hoisting her to a sitting position. She brought the neckline of her dress back up over her chest and wiggled the skirt down to cover herself. Billy carefully removed the condom and tied it off, tossing it to the floor. He pulled his boxers and pants back up, tucking himself away, but left it unbuttoned and unzipped.

“I can’t wait to find out what other things make you feel really good,” he smiled against her forehead while she settled in under his arm.

She hummed at the thought. She held onto his arm that was draped over her shoulders, linking their fingers together. They felt very comfortable knowing each other as people, but as lovers there was so much exploration and discovery awaiting them.

“Well, what are you doing tomorrow?” Jackie asked, hopeful to see him.

“You,” he smirked, nuzzling his nose into her hair, breathing in her scent of warm vanilla, honey, and fresh sweat.

She shifted to look up at him and giggled. “I’m serious. Where are you gonna be?”

Billy dragged his fingers up her leg until they arrived at the apex of her thigh. “There,” he replied, pointing at her crotch. Jackie laughed at how insatiable Billy was with her. He chuckled and finally answered her question. “I didn’t have any plans. What are you doing?”

Taking a page out of Billy’s book, she cheekily responded. “You.” Billy grinned and raised his eyebrows at the mutual plan. “So, how are we going to do this?”

“Uhh,” Billy thought out loud. “I could maybe pick you up and we could come back here?”

Jackie shook her head. “How would I explain going somewhere alone with you?”

“Okay,” Billy conceded with a smile. “I could… see if Tommy wants to hang out at your house, and then you can say you have to work on your project with Max, and we could leave together. And come back here.”

Jackie figured it was a good plan. She then remembered Billy telling her how much a room at Motel 6 cost. “What if we got a room at the hotel, and my project with Max turns into me spending the night?”

Billy smiled widely at the idea. “You have twenty bucks?”

“I can get it,” Jackie didn’t hesitate. Daddy’s little princess could get anything if she asked sweet enough.

The idea of spending an entire night in a hotel room with Jackie, where they could do anything and everything they wanted to do, almost got him hard again. The hopeful look that she gave him suggested that she was just as excited about it as he was.

“Okay,” he licked his lips. “If you can’t, you can still spend the night and just make your way to my room after Max falls asleep,” he smiled mischievously as he dropped his face down to hers to kiss her on the mouth. “We can do it nice and slow and quiet. Probably have to do it on the floor though. My bed squeaks.”

Jackie chuckled against his warm lips. “Yeah, you haven’t thought this through, or anything,” she joked.

Billy had thought of plenty of scenarios between him and Jackie. Some of which she may not be into, but that was okay. Everybody can’t be into everything.

“What time do you have to be home?” he asked, knowing that it had to have been pretty late by now.

Jackie shrugged. “I don’t know. They usually expect me home by midnight.”

Billy twisted his wrist and held it up close to his face, struggling to see the time in the darkness. “It’s 11:43.”

Jackie groaned with disappointment and snuggled into his side tighter. She turned herself to wrap an arm over his stomach. Her cheek rested against his shoulder. “Turn back time,” she droned.

His hand came to rest over her arm. “Tomorrow will be here before you know it,” he reminded her, referring to their plan to spend the night together.

“I already can’t wait to see you,” Jackie purred, lifting her chin to look at him with an adoring expression.

“Me too,” he agreed dreamily. Now that he actually had a taste of her, he wondered what it would be like to have to wait a day to see her. At this point, it would probably only be twelve hours. Hell, maybe just nine hours. Maybe he would show up early. But, just in case, he asked, “Hey. Can I keep your panties?”

Jackie scrunched her nose. “Why?”

Billy’s only response was just to cock an eyebrow and give an impish half grin. Jackie’s eyes widened. She playfully slapped his chest and _tsked_ at his naughty request.

“If I say _yes,_ what do I get in return?” she entertained his wish.

He thought of saying something smartassed, like _a screaming orgasm._ After all, that was probably what her panties would bring to him. But, he knew there was a response that would be better received. More romantic. Removing his arm from around her shoulder, she sat up and watched him twist and pull the silver ring he wore around his middle finger. He gently took her hand and placed the ring on her thumb.


	9. Crazy For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jackie and Billy get their hotel room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: sexual content

Jackie smiled as she examined the thick, silver ring on her thumb, twisting it this way and that way, fondly recalling the events of the night before. She couldn’t think of anything better than being wrapped in Billy’s arms, bodies entwined together, listening to his voice whisper sweet and sultry promises into her ear as he stroked her hair. Except for maybe feeling his lips against that sensitive spot below her ear. Billy had been so attentive and affectionate while at the same time shameless and direct. The perfect combination of what she hoped for in a relationship mixed with how she already knew and loved him.

Part of her felt guilty for thinking that Billy would be anything other than tender the first time they had slept together. Asking permission, checking on her comfort, touching her so caringly— these were all things she never anticipated from the gruff boy who strutted around like sex on legs. By the third time, they both had become more adventurous. Grabbing, licking, being a bit rougher, pulling hair. Jackie had enjoyed it, maybe a little more than she should, which surprised her.

She wanted to feel Billy’s hands all over her. Wondered what it would be like if he held her hands down, if he spanked her. His thrusts last night, towards the end, had become quite deep and hard. She wondered how hard she could take it, if it had felt just as good to him as it did to her when he hit that special spot inside of her each time with bruising force. She had joked that maybe she liked it rough, but she wondered if maybe she really did. Billy would probably have a field day if she spoke up and asked him to do these things, to at least let her experience if she liked them or not, but she shied away from the thought. At least for now.

Jackie heard the rumbling of his Camaro pull into the driveway. Excitedly, she rolled off the bed and pulled back her pink curtain, smiling from ear to ear at the mere sight of his car. He must have been just as eager to see her as she was to see him. It wasn’t even ten o’clock yet; he had only brought her home just after midnight. When she saw the driver’s side door open, she quickly ran from her room and down the stairs to meet Billy at the front door. She swung open the door before he even had a chance to knock. No sense in playing hard to get now.

Billy’s lips curled immediately into a pleased grin. She was wearing a dark blue satin camisole and sleeping shorts— the same little outfit that he could see her nipples through before, that showed every bounce and jiggle of her posterior when she walked. He drank her in from head to toe as she popped out her hip and pushed back her shoulders, putting her unsupported breasts slightly more on display. She bit her lip when his oceanic eyes met hers again. She stood more confident this time around, no longer nervous for him to see the curves and peaks that laid beneath the thin fabric.

“Did you wear that for me?” Billy asked in a low tone, cautious of who may be around.

“You said I should answer the door like this more often,” Jackie blushed, skimming her fingers at the hem of her camisole and revealing a small sliver of bare midriff around her bellybutton. “I’m just being a good hostess for my guest.”

Billy’s eyes caught the exposed skin as he stepped over the threshold. His fingers grazed along her belly while he looked up at the stairs to see if there were any eyes on them, eliciting a roused shiver from Jackie. A quick peek into the living room showed that there was no one there.

“Where’s Tommy?”

Jackie closed the door and leaned her back against it. “Still sleeping.”

The idea of the two of them being alone downstairs led his mind to drift into the deep banks of his imagination, plucking images from past dreams and fantasies. Bending her over the arm of the couch, lifting her onto the kitchen island and fucking her standing up. Hell, even the stairs were fair game.

“Where’s Mommy and Daddy?” Billy turned around to ogle Jackie’s scantily clad form again, his hand pressed flat against her abdomen now as he took a step closer to fully close the space between them. His fingers crept beneath the fabric. Calloused fingertips scraped gently against the soft skin of her belly.

Jackie placed her palms at her side, flat against the door, allowing him to touch wherever he felt so inclined. “They went to the farmer’s market a few towns over. They won’t be back ‘til after lunch.”

With Tommy in bed and her parents away, Billy smirked as he ensnared her against the red door. His cologne swept her away into the memories of last night when she was close enough to taste him. He planted his foot in between her legs and held his pelvis against her hip. He towered above her, and it made her feel helpless in the most erotic way imaginable.

Looking down at her cleavage, his hand slid up the underside of her camisole until it groped her bare breast and he could see his own hand down her top. Nipples were already at full attention. She fit so perfectly in his hand, like they were meant for each other. His other hand came up to the side of her neck. Thumb rubbing against her cheek and ear, he dipped down closer to her waiting lips.

His voice dripped sex and debauchery. “So, I can do this, then?”

Billy massaged her breast and met her lips with his own. His tongue slid against her lips briefly until she opened her mouth for him. Tongues flicked against each other until he delved deeper into her mouth. She moaned softly against him, lifting her foot off the floor just far enough to massage it against his denim-covered calf.

Billy’s hand left her breast and travelled down her stomach, breaching the elastic waistband of her shorts. He moved so stealthily that she didn’t have time to protest. Her eyes widened as his fingers brushed past her pubic hair and immediately found her clit.

“No panties?” he smiled against her mouth and groaned as he rubbed circles with his index and middle fingers. “I can’t help but think you did that for me, too.”

Jackie gripped his forearm but didn’t try to move him even though she knew she should. It was too risky doing this here, out in the open, with Tommy right upstairs; but, _God,_ did Billy know what he was doing. Knew how to make her squirm and squeal and leave her wanting more.

Wriggling idly between him and the door, Jackie spoke anxiously while his hot breath ghosted over her lips. “Billy, Tommy’s upstairs,” she lightly tugged at his arm.

“And he’s asleep,” Billy pointed out, moving in for another kiss, this time at the point below her ear that made her quiver with satisfaction. Jackie sighed into him, feeling the tensing of his forearm as he worked his fingers below. “I have a rubber in my pocket,” he spoke softly in between kisses. “I can be really quiet.”

Jackie suspected Billy was a thrill seeker. The threat of possibly getting caught by being someplace so open, where anyone could walk in and catch them, seemed to add to Billy’s level of excitement. Jackie wasn’t quite so comfortable with that idea. It was one thing to have sex outside by a lake surrounded by trees, under the cover of night, with no other signs of life around. Or in his car at the lake when the rain was pouring down so heavily that the visibility was limited to things directly in front of them. It was another to do it in the living room where her brother could walk down at any minute with Billy fully buried in her, shorts around her ankles, face twisted in various states of arousal. That was not a position she ever wanted her brother to see her in.

Jackie smiled at his impatience and that he had thought far enough ahead to bring a condom inside with him. “Maybe you can, but I don’t know if _I_ can.”

She had discovered last night that when Billy brought her to orgasm, she was rather loud. She didn’t scream, but she cried out with enough force that it echoed in the night sky, reverberated in the trees. She wasn’t yet experienced enough to learn how to control that. These sensations were still all so new.

Billy smirked and kissed her again, continuing to rub against her sensitive nub. “I can cover your mouth like this,” he slid his hand from her neck to her mouth and applied a decent amount of pressure.

 _Oh my God,_ Jackie thought to herself. It turned her on: him taking control, holding her in place with his pelvis, covering her mouth to keep her quiet. _Oh my God, am I the kind of girl that likes being submissive?_ For Billy, perhaps yes. He definitely seemed like the kind of boy who enjoyed being dominant. Billy’s jaw hung open as minty breaths wafted against her face. His fingers lowered to her opening, already slick with arousal, begging for him to fill her.

An entertained grin pulled at his lips. “You like that, huh?”

Jackie nodded, wondering if he could feel her hot cheeks beneath his hand as she blushed, somewhat embarrassed by the revelation. His fingers explored deeper, curling and pulsing at a medium pace. Jackie moaned into Billy’s hand, and he pressed it firmer against her mouth. She wasn’t sure which hand brought her more pleasure.

“I don’t even have to take off your shorts,” Billy suggested. With a bob of his head behind him, he continued, “I could just bend you over the couch and move the leg hole off to the side. You’d still be fully clothed.”

He would be behind her. She didn’t know about that. It seemed like it would be so impersonal. Kind of awkward. But the way he so casually said it, like he was talking about where to go for lunch, somehow made it seem nonthreatening and natural.

The sound of a bedroom door opening upstairs made Jackie’s heart race. In a panic, Jackie pulled Billy’s forearm, silently telling him to stop. He took the hint and reluctantly removed his fingers from her. He reached his hand behind her to give her ass a quick squeeze, lowering his other hand from her mouth with a wink. He pressed forward for a quick and dirty French kiss and then backed away from her.

“To be continued,” Billy promised with a raspy voice.

Jackie smiled, “Definitely,” and moved away from the door just in time, as Tommy appeared at the top of the stairs.

Tommy’s hair was disheveled, and his eyelids appeared heavy. It was obvious that he was still tired. Jackie did not know what time he had arrived home, but she knew it had to have been after one in the morning. That had been about the time she laid down to sleep. He stood at the top of the stairs and lazily rubbed his face, trying to wake himself and rid his eyes from sleep.

“Well, hey there, sleeping beauty,” Billy placed his hands in his pockets and flashed a grin to his friend.

*****

After Tommy had eaten breakfast and allowed himself a few moments to wake up, he and Billy went downstairs to the finished game room area of the basement. Jackie retreated to her bedroom, doing her best to stay out of Tommy’s sight with Billy present. She didn’t think she would be able to hide her attraction for him anymore. She blushed every time she was around him.

Billy made himself at home, placing his booted feet on the wooden coffee table in front of the couch as he sat down. Tommy sat in the upholstered chair at the end of the coffee table after handing an Atari game controller to Billy. He grunted as he sank down into the chair.

“So, what’d you do last night with my sister?” Tommy asked in a monotone, face fixated on the television screen, avoiding eye contact with Billy.

Momentarily, Billy’s heart skipped a beat. Tommy sounded— not necessarily angry, but— suspicious. Half the school probably knew that Jackie had left the prom with Billy early on. He was sure that Doug was a sight to see last night. Walking back into the ballroom, face and shirt all bloodied, eye candy gone from his arm. Part of him _was_ curious about what the rumor mill was churning out about him and Jackie. While Doug might not have disclosed that Jackie was the one to make a mess of him, he certainly would have no qualms over announcing that she ran off with Billy. It would make her look like a slut and just fit Billy’s narrative all too well. The crowd would think _‘Poor Doug.’_

Billy shrugged his shoulders as his fingers maneuvered the controller smoothly, seemingly unbothered by the unspoken accusation on Tommy’s mind. “Went to Benny’s. Hung out there for a few hours and got something to eat, then took her home.”

He looked out the corner of his eye to see Tommy’s reaction. Tommy slowly nodded his head with a tensed jaw. “Why didn’t you just bring her home in the first place?”

It was similar enough to the snappy reprimand Tommy had given Doug last week. Apparently, Tommy did not think it was a good idea for Jackie to be alone for too long with a boy. Perhaps, knowing the things that he and Carol got into when they were alone, made him worry that Jackie would do the same things. Or, maybe it was the company she was with…

“I offered,” Billy truthfully disclosed calmly, pretending like he had nothing to hide. Like he and Jackie hadn’t made love three times last night. “She didn’t want to go home right away.”

“What, she wanted to spend the night with _you?”_ Tommy asked incredulously.

 _As a matter of fact, she did._ Billy scoffed. “You say that as if I forced her against her will,” his tone was now defensive. “She just didn’t want me to take her home right away. If you’ve got something on your mind about it, just say it.”

_Tommy suspects that something happened._

Tommy slowly nodded his head. “So, why’d you beat the shit out of him?”

Billy looked over at Tommy, whose face softened a bit. “They had a fight, and he grabbed her.” He didn’t know if Tommy knew about the bet or not. Maybe he would let Jackie share those specific details. “I’m not cool with guys putting their hands on girls,” he spat, wishing that he had been big enough, strong enough, brave enough to rescue his mother from his father the way he had come to Jackie’s aid last night. “And she asked me to get her out of there, so I did.”

Tommy actually looked at him. Clearly, he hadn’t heard that part of the story: that Doug had grabbed her. “He put his hands on her?” he raised his voice in anger at the situation.

Billy nodded his head. “Yeah. Just out of curiosity, what’s he saying happened?”

Tommy glanced back at the television and wiggled his fingers on the controller. “He said you showed up. You jumped him over something that happened earlier at school, and then took off with Jackie.”

Billy laughed at the stupidity of it all. “Like I’d waste my time waiting for him at prom just to beat his ass. Make no mistake, man. I might’ve thrown the first punch, but it was Jackie that broke his nose. I don’t think you need to worry about her as much as you do.” 

A wide grin spread across Tommy’s face. His freckled cheeks glowed under the bright yellow lights above him. “I told you, dude. Don’t let the pretty face fool you.” He licked his lips and seemed to have loosened up a bit. “So, what were you doing there anyway, if you weren’t there looking to fight Nieman?”

 _Looking out for Jackie._ Pretending to be the sex-driven Billy that everyone knew him to be, he cocked a half smile and said, “I was looking to get laid by whatever girl decided to walk out on her date.”

Tommy rapidly turned his head to stare at Billy, not liking that answer when he knew that Jackie had left with him. “Jackie walked out on her date,” Tommy reminded him coldly.

“Come on, man,” Billy stated matter-of-factly. It wasn’t a confession or a denial. “I kept her company and tried to make the best out of an evening that was otherwise ruined for her.” Billy surprised himself with the amount of composure he maintained in pretending like things were strictly platonic between him and Jackie. “If you don’t believe me, ask her yourself.”

Tommy found it unsettling that Jackie would have spent the entire evening alone with Billy, knowing how quickly Billy got around; but, he also understood that Billy wasn’t a stranger to her. She was close with his stepsister, and obviously trusted him enough to help her out in that situation. If Billy hadn’t been there at that exact moment, who knows what could have happened. He decided to drop it for now, giving Billy the benefit of the doubt. Surely, he wouldn’t have the balls to show up and hang out after making a move on his sister.

Just then, Jackie came down the stairs with a laundry basket full of clothes on her hip. Billy saw her first, since Tommy’s back was facing the steps. Jackie smiled sheepishly at him before turning to walk into the laundry room off to the side. She wore short denim shorts, cut off so high up the leg that if she were to bend over fully, the bottom of her ass cheeks would probably pop out. Billy grinned briefly, knowing what he had in store for her later.

He could see her perfectly while she bent over and picked up piles of dirty clothes to shove into the washing machine. She bent at her hips, ensuring a clear view of her ass every time. Her narrow waist was accentuated by the wide curve of her hips and rounded globes of her backside. At sixteen, she had the body of a centerfold. She even turned back to glance at him while she was bent over, smirking like a fiend when she caught him continuing to peep over at her.

Jackie knew she was playing with fire, doing things to have Billy look at her while her brother was right there; but, she couldn’t help herself. She was eager to leave with him. To get to that hotel room where they could lay together, hold each other, explore each other. The next time Billy looked over at her, she quickly lifted the front of her shirt to show her bare chest. Plump, perky breasts, unaffected by gravity, stared back at him. Nipples a dark pink, hardened by the cool air of the basement, begged for his attention.

Billy did not notice his mouth fall open until Tommy laughed and hooted in victory, drawing his concentration away from her in a flustered hurry. Jackie quickly lowered her shirt back over her abdomen, just as startled by the sudden noise and slightly panicked by the nervous jerk that Billy had displayed at her brother’s vocalization.

“Where was your head on that one, Billy?” Tommy laughed while slapping the arm of his chair and looking at Billy.

 _I can tell you where it wanted to be._ Billy chuckled and rubbed at the back of his head. “Best two out of three,” he recovered.

Jackie regained her composure and walked out of the laundry room, approaching the two boys. “Hey, can you drive me to Max’s later so we can work on our project and I can spend the night?” She was cautious not to direct her statement to anyone in particular, but without Tommy looking at her to see the gleam in her eye when she looked at Billy, he would have assumed she was asking him.

“Why don’t you just ride back with Billy, Airhead?” Tommy didn’t bother looking at her as their next round started on screen. “It’s stupid to waste gas when he’s going to the same place.” It was the response she was looking for, but she decided to play it cool so that it didn’t seem so planned or suspicious. She gave a smirk to Billy at Tommy’s recommendation.

“Uh,” she pretended to give it some thought. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense. If that’s okay with Billy.” Jackie nodded her head towards the stairs, signaling to him that she wanted to leave soon.

Billy licked his lips and did his best to focus on the game. Too many exchanged smiles would give them away. “Yeah. I can take you.”

*****

Jackie stood behind Billy with her overnight bag in hand, nervously biting her lip and continuously looking around them to see if anyone else was around to see them. It was after the standard check-out time, so any prom-goers who rented a room last night were probably already gone. They were also at the back of the hotel. Billy’s car was out of sight from the main road. The chances of them being seen by anyone of significance was probably low.

Billy fumbled with the key in the lock, finally pushing the navy-blue door open. He turned to smile at her, taking her bag from her hand and stepping just inside to place the bag on the floor. When he returned, he made quick work of scooping Jackie into his arms to carry her across the threshold of the room, bridal style. Jackie squeakily giggled as he swiftly swept her off her feet. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he brought them into the room and kicked the door shut behind him.

“Get the lock,” he requested as he paused in front of the door. She did as she was asked, turning the deadbolt until the lock was secure. Once the door was locked, he took a few steps to the window. “Close the curtains.” She reached out, tugging on the coarse, thick fabric until the bright sunlight was nothing more than a thin strip peeking in between the narrow slit where the two halves met in the middle.

Billy smiled at her and carried her over to the queen-sized bed, gently placing her atop the multicolored comforter. Jackie kicked her flip flops off to the floor and opened her legs to allow Billy to lay between them. He crawled over her and nestled himself between her legs, clothed bellies against each other as he propped himself on elbows to look down at her.

“Hi,” he smiled softly, glancing between her eyes and her lips in the dimly lit room. He stroked her hair from temple to ear, thumb grazing delicately over soft, pale skin.

She returned his smile. “Hi.” She rubbed her hands up his muscly arms.

They indulged in a slow and sensual kiss. Tongues languidly stroked against each other. There was no need to rush anything; they had the room to themselves until tomorrow morning at eleven o’clock. Billy must have taken the time to shave this morning. His skin was smooth and not as scratchy against her lips when they kissed, and the faint smell of Noxzema lingered on his face.

“I missed you,” Billy breathed against her lips with a slow but heavy grind against her pelvis.

Jackie sighed with pleasure at the smitten words and physical reaction to his touch. “I missed you, too,” she felt her heartrate increase.

They kissed again, this time more forceful as his grinding against her core progressed. Their breathing became shakier the more aroused they became.

“I can’t wait to be inside you,” Billy left a trail of kisses along her jaw. “You were my first thought when I woke up this morning, and my last thought when I fell asleep last night.”

“I thought about you all night,” Jackie smiled at the sweet sentiment and raised her head from the pillow to kiss him passionately again on the lips. “I kept thinking about doing this.”

Billy sat up on his knees and reached into his pocket for the condom, tossing it on the bed. Nimble fingers undid the button and zipper of her shorts and pulled them down her legs along with her underwear. He then hastily removed his own pants and boxers.

“Take off your shirt,” he gutturally commanded while he removed his own.

Jackie did as she was told. Dull tingles throbbed in her vagina at the way he phrased the request. So direct with what he wanted, she wondered if she should do the same. 

Both fully naked, Billy returned between her legs and pumped himself a few times before putting the condom on. Muscles flexed in his arms and chest, and the look on his face was completely unabashed.

“Do you want to be on top, or do you want me to be on top?” he asked, as if he could sense that there was a shy request that she couldn’t quite convince herself to verbalize.

Jackie blushed and shook her head, “You can be on top.”

Billy propped himself on an elbow and guided himself inside her. Jackie spread her legs wide for him but still gasped at the feeling of him sliding into her. Billy’s eyes were closed as he reveled in the warm, tight feeling before he started to move.

He had only made three slow strokes before Jackie said, “Billy,” like she was having reservations about something.

He opened his eyes and searched her face for signs of distress. “What?” his hips rolled slowly again. His face was slightly wrinkled with concern.

“Remember when I said maybe I like it rough?” Jackie asked, squeezing his biceps when he pushed deep inside her once more.

A small, confused grin tugged at one side of his mouth. With a furrowed brow he said, “Yeah?”

Swallowing her embarrassment, she quickly asked, “What, um… what would that look like?”

She realized it should have been a question to ask before he was inside her. She felt like she was killing the mood. On the contrary, Billy was intrigued and felt his cock twitch inside of her at her curiosity of rough sex.

“Uh,” Billy thrusted within her again, this time a little more forceful. It caused her to gasp and pinch his arms reactively. He was excited. “It can be a lot of things,” he smiled, returning to a long, slow plunge inside her walls. “It can be me fucking you hard and fast, you scratching my back, hair pulling, spanking…” Her breathing quickened at the mentioning of these things. “Why? You wanna try it?”

It wasn’t so mortifying nodding her head to Billy’s question of wanting to try it compared to her actually coming out and saying it herself. Billy licked his lips and smiled widely. It was, after all, his usual style. Jackie really was full of surprises. She may have been on the introverted side when it came to knowing and saying what she wanted sexually, but she was daring enough to try.

“Yeah?” Billy responded to her timid head nod. “Tell me what you want, Jacks,” he whispered gruffly, dipping down to sloppily tongue and kiss at her neck.

Jackie closed her eyes and softly moaned. She shivered as the hot trail of saliva quickly cooled when he pulled away. “All of it,” she shyly spoke. “I want it hard and fast,” she blushed. “Just don’t hurt me.”

“I’ll never hurt you,” Billy sprang to hold himself above her, eager to fulfill her wish. “You tell me to stop if you want me to stop,” he reminded her, knowing that her first experience with this might not be what she had pictured in her head.

She nodded, showing that she understood. That was good enough for Billy. He immediately drew back and thrusted forward harshly with a grunt. Jackie threw her head back and yelped in surprise at the sharp yet pleasurable sensation. He pulled back again and hesitated. Sensing that he was waiting for her approval, Jackie nodded her head and dug her fingernails into his back. Billy hissed and bit his bottom lip, understanding that this reciprocated behavior was her permission to continue.

He found a hard and fast rhythm, not quite as hard or as fast as he knew he was capable of going. That could be introduced to Jackie at a later time. After all, they had all night, and he didn’t want her to be too sore that she wouldn’t be able to experience the other pleasures he wanted them to engage in throughout their stay at the hotel.

Jackie’s moans and sobs became louder, especially when she wrapped her legs around him and allowed him to plummet deeper. The bed squeaked ferociously beneath them as he relentlessly pounded into her again and again. Jackie’s fingernails raked up Billy’s back. She squeezed his shoulders when he came back down for a rough kiss, sucking and nipping at her bottom lip until it felt swollen.

“I wanna fuck you in every position possible,” Billy grunted in her ear, pulling out of her. “Get on your hands and knees,” he said, hands already tugging at her waist to roll her over.

“Billy, I don’t know—” Jackie bashfully uttered as he flipped her over.

 _Smack!_ Her sentence was cut short by a rather sharp slap to her buttocks. She squealed in surprise at the sting but then hummed when his hand caressed the area that he had just assaulted.

“Nothing to be embarrassed about, Jacks,” Billy sensed the uncertainty with this changed position. “It’s going to feel good, I promise,” he grabbed her hips to pull her up to her knees. “I can fuck you really hard in this position. Trust me.”

It made her feel so vulnerable being in this position: ass in the air, no idea what he was about to do, not being able to see his face. But, she did trust him. He hadn’t lied to her yet. She complied and allowed him to raise her hips so that she was resting on her knees and elbows.

Billy bit his lip again and smacked her cheek again once her backside was up in the air, caringly soothing it immediately after. She didn’t know what it was about his hands being on her in this way, but it made her feel like she was floating on cloud nine. He guided himself back into her, allowing her to experience a few slower, cautious strokes before he gradually picked up speed.

“Oh my God,” Jackie breathed, clenching her fingers around the comforter so that she had something to hold onto.

“Do you like that?” Billy slammed into her, lurching her forward with every harsh collision against her. His fingers dug into the creases at her hips, pulling her back to him after every thrust so that their bodies were as tight against each other as they could be, so he was as deep within her as he could get.

Jackie moaned and gasped, “Yes!”

Billy was right, yet again. It did feel good. She didn’t just like it, she loved it.

“Want me to pull your hair?” Billy managed to get out between ragged breaths.

“Okay,” Jackie quickly responded, focusing on the way her vagina was periodically pulsating around his erection as his head scraped against the soft, sensitive place deep within her.

She gasped when he grabbed a fistful of her long hair at the base of her skull and pulled back, forcing her to lift up from her elbows to come closer to him. His lips latched to her shoulder, tongue swirling circles on her slightly sweaty skin before his teeth sunk into her for a bite that did not break the skin.

With her back against his chest, his hand slithered from her hip to her clit. As he continued to slam into her, his fingers fondled back and forth in short, rapid swipes against her wet, burning nub.

“I’m gonna cum soon,” Billy kissed her neck, pulling her hair to easily expose his favorite place to kiss her beneath her ear. “I want you to cum on my dick at the same time.”

His dirty speech made her whimper with desire. Hot breath against her skin, nose in her hair, lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, “Cum for me,” while he powerfully hammered into her made her tip over the edge.

Billy moaned with one final thrust, stilling within Jackie as she jerked and her lower half convulsed around him. Unwavering massages against her sex became unbearable, past the point of pleasure and into the realm of discomfort as he hit her with orgasm after orgasm.

“Stop, stop, stop,” Jackie whispered, pushing his hand away from her genitals, needing a break from the repeated fireworks she felt between her legs.

He stopped and slid his hand up to her belly, removing his hand from her hair and holding her still against his hot and sweaty body.

“Hey,” he pressed his hand against her jaw, prompting her to turn her neck at a sharp angle to look at him. “You okay?” he kissed her lips, pants from their mouths now having to come through their noses as they locked lips in a tender embrace.

“Yeah,” she panted, “that was… it was—” So good she could barely form coherent speech.

“I know,” he smiled. Billy pulled his softening member out of her and pulled her along with him as he plopped down on the bed. He wrapped his arm around her midsection and held her close against him as they caught their breaths. “So, _do you_ like it rough?”

Jackie chuckled. “I think I do,” she admitted easily, knowing that he enjoyed it, too. “Is that weird?”

Billy scoffed. “No, it’s hot as Hell,” he kissed the back of her shoulder and stroked his hand up and down on her belly, forming goosebumps in his wake. “You don’t know what you like unless you try stuff. And I am willing to do whatever you want to try.”

“Really?” Jackie smiled, feeling comforted by Billy’s calm demeanor and reassuring words. “Well, what do _you_ want to try?”

Billy sighed against her neck. “I’m just happy to be with you,” he swore, and it was the truth. There would be time to introduce new things to Jackie as their relationship progressed. Perhaps things would just fall into place naturally. “I like being inside you.”

Jackie laughed and rolled over to face him. He lifted his arm briefly so she could move and then brought his hand back down to her hip. “Do you think you’ll still feel that way when you’re, like, fifty?”

That was a long time away, but it made him grin. “As long as there’s still air to breathe, I’ll want to be with you.”

Jackie propped her head up in her hand and started to throw different scenarios his way. “Even if I get really fat?”

Billy chuckled. “Just more to hold onto.”

Jackie rolled her eyes and flicked his chest. “What if I got into an accident and was really badly mangled?”

“ _Jesus_ ,” Billy scolded but then pulled her closer to him. “Don’t say shit like that; don’t even joke about it.” He softened after a few quiet seconds and a murmured apology from Jackie. “Of course I’d still want to be with you.”

Jackie nuzzled into his neck and took in the smell of his cologne mixed with sweat. She smiled at how serious he could be. She bet that not many people saw that side of him either. People didn’t view Billy as sentimental, kindhearted, or even apprehensive of anything. He was just like anyone else.

“What are you doing after you graduate?” Jackie looked up at him.

He had so often talked about California. He missed it terribly; talked often about how much of a shithole Hawkins was and how he couldn’t wait to go back. It would break her heart if, after sleeping together and allowing her feelings for him to blossom, he decided to leave.

He sighed and looked up at the popcorn ceiling. “Well, the plan was to move back to California.” Jackie frowned and looked away from him. His eyes shifted to her and saw the look on her face, which he couldn’t help but smirk at. “But it would be really difficult for us to have the one-point-three kids, a dog, and a house with a white picket fence if I did that. So, I applied for the lifeguard position at the pool.”

Her head snapped back to attention at him. The impish smirk on his face was like that of a kid who just pulled off a great prank.

“What did you say?” Jackie’s cheeks flushed at the repeated words she had spoken to Max the other day.

“You heard me,” he propped himself up on an elbow.

“William James Hargrove,” she faked irritation at him. He lifted an eyebrow in amusement at the full use of his name. “Were you eavesdropping on me the other day?”

“Yeah, I was,” he said without shame. “What are you gonna do about it? And be sure to use lots of details and dirty words.” His eyebrow twitched as he winked at her and stuck his tongue between his teeth.

Jackie huffed a short laugh and stared longingly into his eyes. “Does this mean… you’re staying for a long time?”

Billy leaned forward and softly touched his lips to hers. An audible smacking sound echoed in the quiet room when they pulled apart. “I’m going to marry you one day,” he spoke confidently, knowing that their connection was stronger than any either of them had ever experienced before. “It makes it easier if we’re in the same town to do that.”


	10. Sugar Walls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Later that night at the hotel, Billy talks about his plans with Jackie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning: More sexual content (Sorry... I can't stop... Just trying to enjoy it before shit hits the fan)

Jackie closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy the feeling of Billy’s fingers lathering foamy shampoo over her scalp. The water may have been hitting her front right now, but the steam trapped between the wall and the shower curtain was enough to keep him warm.

“Why does this feel so normal?” Jackie breathed with a content sigh as his fingers massaged gentle circles all over her head.

“What? Me washing your hair?” Billy chuckled. “Here, turn around,” he guided her cautiously to turn around and step back under the running showerhead.

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes again as he worked his hands gently over her head to rinse the suds from her hair, careful to keep any of it from getting into her eyes. “All of it,” Jackie clarified, placing her hands on his waist. “Two weeks ago, I was crossing my arms over my chest because I was embarrassed for you to see me in my pajamas, and now I’m buck naked, showering with you in a Motel 6.”

Billy beamed with delight at her confession of being so at ease with him. “There was never a need to be embarrassed about anything with me,” he lulled sweetly.

“You know what I mean,” she smiled and opened her eyes to see him already smiling at her. “You were my brother’s best friend and now you’re my…” She paused to think of the best term to use, since nothing official had ever been said other than they were _together_. She looked into his eyes for any clue that she was being too expectant.

“Lover?” Billy cocked a half grin and filled in the blank. 

Jackie laughed. “I was going to say _boyfriend. Lover_ sounds so forbidden and old-timey.” Like a nineteenth century novel about a woman who is betrothed to another but continues to meet with the one she truly loves for a midday rendezvous.

“Well, isn’t that what this is?” Billy stepped forward, tangled his fingers in her wet hair, and kissed her on the lips. “Kind of forbidden? A dirty little secret? I think it sounds sexy.”

Their bodies, wet and slippery, came together for another kiss. He was right. Yet again. They were sneaking around this weekend because Jackie liked the excitement of keeping it a secret, just between them, for a few days. To have Billy all to herself, knowing that they would have a heap of questions and lectures when it all came to light.

“But, I like the sound of being your boyfriend, too,” he eventually agreed.

Jackie stepped away with a smile and retrieved the conditioner. “I just didn’t picture this being where we would be two weeks ago. Did you?”

He stuck his tongue out the corner of his mouth and raised his eyebrows in an amused expression. He took the conditioner from her and started to work it into her hair. “I mean, I’ve pictured a lot of things with you, Jacks. Not gonna lie. This was one of them.”

“Washing my hair?” she asked with an edge of humor in her voice.

“Showering with you,” he corrected with a slight chuckle.

“Oh,” Jackie giggled, feeling silly for the misunderstanding.

Billy shrugged and shook his head as he combed his fingers through her hair under the hot water. “I didn’t know two weeks ago that this is where we’d be, but I’m glad it worked out this way.”

“Being in a hotel shower together?” Jackie quirked an eyebrow sarcastically.

Billy lit up the room with his smile, keeping himself from laughing. “You’re bad at this game,” he teased. “Just being together,” he gave one last swipe of her hair before switching places with her.

Billy turned around to allow the water to hit the front of his body. Jackie wrung out her hair and couldn’t help but lower her gaze to his bare bottom. It was just as toned as the rest of him. Rounded perfectly at the top where his back dipped inward. Jackie bit her lip and could not help herself. With a mind of their own, her hands reached forward and cupped his ass, fingers giving a light squeeze to feel its firmness.

Billy turned his head to glance over his shoulder. He rubbed the water from his face. “Yeah?” he grinned at the playful contact.

Jackie purred an, “Mm-hmm,” and wrapped her arms around his torso, bringing her hands up to cup his chest next.

Billy’s hand glided over hers and interlocked their fingers. Her breasts pressed against his back, pubic bone pressed up against his posterior, and she kissed his shoulder blade before resting her cheek against him. Billy let out a low hum. Parts of him were twitching and itching for contact with her, buzzing with a charge strong enough to power the whole damn town.

He cleared his throat. “I know we agreed to shower because of all the sexual activities, but, uh,” she could hear the smile in his voice, “you’re making me hard again, sweetness.”

Dragging her lips over the wet skin on his shoulder, Jackie lowly asked, “Do you want me to stop?” She pressed another kiss against his back, and then another one, and another one until she reached his opposite shoulder.

“I didn’t say that,” he huskily responded, giving her fingers a squeeze.

Jackie’s fingers clamped around his own. “So, what are you gonna do about it?” she smiled and repeated his earlier words. “And be sure to use lots of dirty words.” She stood on tip toes to get closer to his ear, her nipples rubbing agonizingly against his skin. Her lips brushed against damp curls at the base of his neck. “ _Lover._ ”

Billy growled and released her hands so he could turn around. He pushed her backwards until her back hit the cool, plastic lining of the shower. Being this far away from the steaming water made her shiver, but it was a price she was willing to pay to get Billy hot and bothered. Billy reached down and grabbed her ass with one hand while fondling a breast with the other hand.

“I’m gonna fuck you standing up in this shower,” Billy murmured against her lips, shoving his tongue in her mouth and massaging the skin beneath his palms. “I’ll pull out,” he said, not even in the form of a question. “Cum all over your belly.”

Jackie’s eyes widened at the change from routine. Going without a condom? Pulling out wasn’t foolproof. But, at the same time, she was horny for him and was captivated by the thought of having sex in the shower.

“Do you think other people have sex as often as we’re having sex?” Jackie gasped as the hand on her ass lowered and jerked her thigh upward so he could grind directly against her crotch with his erection.

She steadied herself by holding onto his arms. Standing on one foot on a slippery surface seemed like an accident waiting to happen. However, Billy was built like a brick wall; she felt safe and secure with him here.

“I don’t give a shit what other people do,” Billy brought his other hand down between her legs and fingered her for a moment, feeling how wet and slippery and ready for him she was. She was _always_ ready for him. “I’m addicted to this pussy,” his nose nestled against hers. He watched her close her eyes and relish the feeling of his body against hers. It made his heart flutter. “You okay with taking me raw?”

She quivered at the choice of words. It sounded so filthy. She had never referred to her own parts in those terms, but hearing it come from Billy’s mouth made her weak in the knees. “Just don’t get me pregnant.”

Billy lightened the moment by grinning and shaking his head. “You don’t want little Billys and Jackies running around just yet?”

Jackie dropped her smile and did her best to look serious, as best as she could with his fingers continuing to rub circles and swipe up and down her slit. “You’re pretty to look at, and I would get no joy from it, but I would have to kill you.”

“You’d kill your…” he paused for dramatic effect, locking eyes with her as a smile ghosted over his lips, “ _lover?”_

Jackie chuckled, unable to remain annoyed with Billy for too long. He was just too handsome and charming. “If you got me pregnant at sixteen, my dad would tear your dick off, and the police would never find your body.”

“I love it when you talk dirty to me,” Billy facetiously snarled and traced her lips with his tongue.

Jackie flippantly nipped at him, causing him to pull back. “I’m serious. My dad would kill you.”

Tommy had told him before: _Dad has a shotgun and a shovel_. He might not be home all the time due to being on business, but Jackie was his little girl. His princess. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. Except, maybe, show mercy to the horny teenage boy who defiled and impregnated her.

Billy’s lips spread across his glistening, white teeth. “Your parents love me,” he didn’t believe the little threat. He dipped his head low to kiss that sweet spot on her neck, the one that turned her to putty.

This much was true. Out of all the friends Tommy had, his parents took a particular liking to Billy. He was always polite in their presence. Well-mannered, good-humored, fun-natured. Just as much of a smartass as Jackie and Tommy, which made for endless entertainment. Albeit a bit of a flirt with their mother; but, Jackie realized that it was just Billy’s personality. He had an effect on women, whether he was trying or not. He was never inappropriate in their interactions, but his compliments and dazzling smile were enough to make any woman’s panties drop.

Jackie bit her lip to withhold a moan from reaching his ears. “They won’t if you make them grandparents before they’re forty-five.”

Billy smiled against her throat and gave her one more kiss before standing up and assuring her, “No babies. I’ll pull out in time. I’m a big boy. I know when I’m about to cum,” he shot her a wink.

“You certainly are a _big boy,_ ” Jackie arched her back to angle herself better against him.

Billy smirked and hooked the back of her knee over his arm, pressing his palm against the back of the shower while he guided himself with his other hand, up and down her slit. He teased her for a few strokes while ensuring that he was slick enough to enter. Jackie raised her hands to his shoulders for better leverage as he thrusted into her.

“Jesus. _Fuck,”_ Billy exhaled at the blissful connection between them.

It wasn’t that the feeling was different so much as he knew there were no barriers between them. Skin on skin, like nature intended. A raw, intrinsic, organic joining of two bodies.

This new position provided a different angle at which she experienced his strokes. The extra moisture on their skin from the shower added a noisy layer of slaps and squelches with each movement. Jackie breathed audibly, offering small whines and erotic whimpers of enjoyment.

“Hold on to me,” he warned her, not giving her enough time to register the command before he leaned down and hoisted her other leg in his hands, lifting her completely off the shower floor.

Jackie shrieked, feeling like she was about to fall. Billy used the wall to keep her upright while he held tightly onto her thighs and pounded into her. Jackie wrapped her arms around his neck and latched her hands around her own forearms behind him. She locked her ankles at the back of his legs.

Now she was more at his level. He didn’t exactly tower over her, but he was a good half-foot taller than her when they stood. Face to face with him now, she craned her neck forward to kiss him.

It didn’t take long for Billy to feel his balls constrict, with this angle. He was a little embarrassed that he only lasted a few minutes, especially because it didn’t feel like Jackie was even close to orgasming. He gave one more thrust before drawing his hips further back so that his erection pulled out of her completely. It sprang up between their bellies.

“Here, I gotta put you down,” he informed her, gently but swiftly lowering her legs until she found her footing.

Once she was standing, Billy wrapped his fingers around his slippery penis and jerked himself intensely while kissing Jackie hotly on the mouth and holding her to him by the back of her neck. He moaned into her mouth and angled his penis to ejaculate on her stomach. Jackie felt a warm trail of goo hit just below her bellybutton and grunted with surprise against him.

Billy pressed his forehead against hers and breathed against her face, rubbing his fingers at the base of her neck while he softened in his own hand. “Shit, I’m sorry,” he became red in the face.

“For what?” Jackie looked down, momentarily panicking that she had only imagined him shooting his seed on her belly and feared that maybe he hadn’t removed himself in time.

She saw the creamy fluid starting to drip down her belly. Billy stepped back and grabbed the washcloth, wetting it with the hot water so that he could clean her. In an extremely intimate gesture, he first wiped between her legs and then continued his journey upward to catch his semen before it trickled into her trimmed pubic hair. It was a small amount; he probably didn’t have much left with how much Jackie had milked from him this weekend. He folded the cloth in half and wiped her skin over again to rid it of the sticky substance before quickly washing off his penis again.

Avoiding eye contact while he cleaned them up, he mumbled with shame, “I didn’t last long.” He turned around and twisted the knob of the shower to shut off the water.

Jackie wrung out what was left of the water in her hair, already partway dried from the air in the room. “It’s okay,” she honestly assured him. “It was still nice.”

Billy briefly looked up at her before pulling back the shower curtain and stepping outside. _Oh my God, he is sulking._ Jackie stepped out after him and grabbed a towel from the rack, patting her skin dry and trying to soak up some excess moisture from her hair. Before she could wrap it around herself, Billy was pressed firmly against her back, arms around her waist. She could feel the scratchy towel that was wrapped around his waist at her backside.

“Let me finish you off,” he hooked his chin over her shoulder to peer at the side of her face while somewhat forcing her to walk out of the bathroom.

The main room of the hotel must have been at least fifteen degrees cooler than the bathroom. Her dewy skin shivered and tightened in response. She held the towel in front of her as a shield from the chilly air.

“What do you mean?” Jackie asked, leaning to the side so she could turn her neck and look at him.

He stuck his tongue out and wiggled it while suggestively raising and lowering his eyebrows. “Let me go down on you,” he kissed her shoulder, never removing his eyes from her, as he took her waist in his hands and turned her to face him.

They continued to walk backwards. Jackie grimaced at the thought of his face being between her legs. It wasn’t a place she would want to be. “You want to go… down _there_?” The back of her legs hit the bed.

Billy’s face twisted with humor. “ _Down there?”_ he repeated with mockery. “You say that like I haven’t already had my dick and my fingers in you four times today.”

Jackie tittered anxiously as Billy pulled the towel from her grasp and pushed her shoulder, forcing her to fall onto the bed. She crawled backwards on the pile of blankets when he lowered his hands to either side of her and leaned into her. It felt like she was his prey. It was sexy but intimidating.

“ _I_ wouldn’t want to put _my_ face in a vagina,” Jackie explained, continuing to crawl backwards.

Billy laughed, matching her pace and hovering over her body while she slinked up the mattress. “Well, you’re not an eighteen-year-old guy, so…”

Jackie stopped crawling when her hands reached the edge of the mattress and her head hit against the wall behind her. Billy’s eyes were aflame with excitement and desire. His tongue poked out of his mouth and dragged along his lower lip.

“You really want to?” Jackie asked with a tone that suggested disbelief.

Billy nodded his head and lowered his mouth to hers. “If you’ll let me,” he pecked her lips. “It’s fucking hot.”

Jackie bit her lip and wanted to want to say no. It seemed like a humiliating experience, just like having her ass up in the air for him to gawk at. But, then again, she ended up liking that, too. She covered her face with both her hands and sighed.

“Oh my God,” her muffled voice warbled. Billy was getting her to try all kinds of things that she never thought she would do sexually. “Okay.”

Billy sat up on his knees and took her wrists in his hands, tugging at them so she would uncover her face. He could see the embarrassment in her reddened cheeks and uncertain eyes.

“Only if you’re sure,” he told her, not wanting her to feel pressured to do it just because he wanted to. “I promise you, it’s going to feel good, but I don’t want you to say yes just because you think that’s what I want you to say.”

Jackie offered a brief smile, feeling comforted by his diligence. “No, I want you to,” she said meekly. “I’m just… shy.”

Billy grinned mischievously and wrapped his hands around her legs, pulling her down to lay flat on the bed. “I don’t know why you’re so shy about it,” he dropped down to her breasts and took a nipple in his mouth, swirling his tongue around it and sucking with moderate pressure. “You know I’m gonna take care of you,” he promised her, switching his attention to her other breast as she writhed slowly beneath him.

His damp hair, now full of tiny curls, brushed against her skin as he kissed lower on her abdomen. She shivered at the coolness of it. Rough hands lightly caressed down her sides and then hooked under her knees, prompting her to place her feet flat on the bed. She did but, in the process, tried to draw her knees together like magnets.

Billy huffed a mellow snicker and encouraged her to part her resistant knees. “You need to open your legs, Jacks,” he reminded her.

She gulped and separated her knees, trying to convince herself that there was no need to be afraid of Billy seeing that part of her so explicitly on display. Jackie stared up at the bumpy ceiling, not daring to look at what he was doing. Billy crawled backwards as he lowered himself closer to the main attraction. Jackie froze when she felt his breath over her pubic area and a dry kiss at the crease where her thigh met her torso.

“Jesus, Jackie,” Billy chuckled, feeling how stiff her body had become when he wrapped his arms under her thighs. His eyes flicked up her body, noticing that she was holding her breath. “Try to relax.”

Jackie nodded her head even though he couldn’t see her do it and released the breath that she didn’t realize she had been holding. When he heard her exhale, Billy pulled her legs apart and placed a kiss on the other apex of her thigh, turning his head to also kiss the meaty portion of her leg. She closed her eyes. _Okay, it actually feels nice and OH MY GOD!_

He went right in with his tongue, licking from hole to clit. Jackie gasped and arched her back off the bed in surprise. Billy smiled at her reaction and did it again, flattening his tongue to cover as much area as possible as he slowly tasted her again. She clutched the bunched fabric beside her and licked her lips, biting down on the soft flesh of her mouth.

Billy licked at her clit in soft circles and then flicked it quickly up and down and side to side before latching his lips around it and sucking delicately. Jackie moaned and wiggled involuntarily, trying to close her legs at the overwhelming new pleasure; but, Billy’s fingers dug into the tops of her legs and kept them pried apart.

He alternated patterns against her, giving her clit attention for a while and then poking his tongue at her slick entrance. He hummed against her, satisfied that she was liking what he was doing. Vibrations from his mouth when he hummed further enhanced the voltage that was building up inside her.

Jackie began to rock her hips up and down as Billy kissed, licked, and sucked in all the right places. Using his thumbs, he spread her labia and jutted his tongue as deep as he could. Jackie threw her head back against the pillow and reached down to grab a fistful of his blonde curls.

Billy flicked his eyes up to look at her. She was enjoying herself but still not looking at him. Her hand on his head was just there in the passion of the moment. He continued swirling, prodding, and lapping at her, pulling back just once to look at how wet and pink she was. He groaned as he flicked her clit again with his tongue and fluctuated between licks and kisses.

With how wet she was, Billy decided to add his fingers to the mix. He inserted two at once and immediately assumed a fast pace as he wiggled and pressed his tongue hard against her to increase the pressure.

“Billy,” Jackie screeched, digging her fingers into his hair. Her legs were trembling with unforgiving potency. “I’m gonna cum,” she cried out.

Billy quickly readjusted himself. “Cum on my face,” he muttered against her clit, resuming his heavy laps against her bundle of nerves, ready to explode.

No sooner than he said that did she burst with gratification. Her head pushed off the pillow as her stomach quaked and legs jerked outward. She let out a loud shriek, surprising herself with how forcefully it came from her throat. She could feel her walls constricting around Billy’s fingers, thankful that there was something for her to latch onto to make her orgasm that much better.

When her body thrashed vigorously, Billy removed his mouth from her and slowed his fingers but continued to pump in and out of her slickness. He wiped his mouth and chin quickly with his other hand and looked up to watch her come back down from the high he had given her. Her breasts jiggled with every shuddering breath. When the pulsing around his fingers slowed, he finally withdrew his fingers from her. He waited until she looked down at him before he put the fingers in his mouth and licked them off, wanting her to see just how obsessed with her he was. 

“Holy shit,” Jackie panted, unable to stop her legs from shaking.

Billy crawled up to her. The towel had come undone and fell from his waist. A cocksure, shit-eating grin was plastered to his face as he stared down at her.

Jackie looked at him and couldn’t help but laugh. “What?” she griped, knowing that the look on his face was his way of saying _I-told-you-so._

“We’ll be doing that again, yes?” he was proud of himself that she came so quickly, forgetting his perceived poor performance in the shower.

Jackie chuckled and nodded. “I can’t feel my legs,” she inflated his ego with the effect he had on her.

“Well, that was my plan,” Billy jested. “To fuck you until you couldn’t walk. And then fuck you some more. You know, so you can’t run away.”

“Pipe down,” Jackie lifted her head, retrieved the pillow from behind her, and lightheartedly whacked him with it.

Billy took the pillow and fluffed it for himself. He laid down beside her. They both stared up at the ceiling, quietly smiling as they thought about the other and all they had done that day. It was just after eight-thirty. The only break they had taken that day from each other was when Billy went to McDonald’s to bring back dinner for them.

“You know, the hotel has a pool around the corner. I hear that water exercise is a great way to strengthen muscles for people who need to learn how to walk again,” Billy suggested as he rubbed his chest. He shifted his eyes, expecting her to smack him again.

Jackie let out a belly laugh and snorted when she sucked in air again. “Smartass. I didn’t bring a bathing suit,” she looked at him.

He shrugged. “Neither did I. Just wear a bra and panties. Same thing as a bikini.”

Jackie did as he suggested and wrapped herself in a bath towel. They walked hand-in-hand down the sidewalk to the pool around the corner. The gate was open, and not a soul was in sight. The area was softly illuminated by underwater lights and a few lampposts around the patio.

Jackie looked around and was satisfied that there were no other eyes to see her in her black undergarments. She tossed the towel on one of the reclining chaises that lined the deep end of the pool. Billy watched as her fingers hooked under the elastic borders just under her ass, gently pulling the fabric so that it covered her fully.

She walked to the edge and carefully dipped her foot in to test the water. The air was maybe seventy degrees. Her foot felt chilled when she brought it back up and the air hit her. Billy saw the hesitation, so he decided to walk up behind her and push her in.

A small scream filled the air followed by a splash and raucous laughter. Billy jumped in after her, cannonballing and hitting her with another wave of water just as she surfaced. Jackie spluttered as she wiped at her nose to relieve the chlorine burn within her nasal cavity. When he resurfaced, she splashed him.

“You’re a jerk,” she laughed while kicking her feet and moving her arms in the deep, cool water. She swam backwards to a shallower part of the pool. “I don’t know how confident I feel about this lifeguard job,” she joked.

Billy swam until he was in front of her. “Do you need mouth to mouth?”

His arms wrapped around her waist and he leaned back, swimming them to an area of the pool low enough for him to stand. They kissed as water beaded down their foreheads from their dowsed hair. Jackie wrapped her legs around his waist and his hands supported her at back and butt. Their bodies kept each other warm beneath the surface. Jackie shivered as a breeze picked up and grazed her wet skin. Billy was always so warm, like the California sun had permanently soaked into his body and soul.

“If I get that job at the pool, will you come every day to see me?” Billy sniffled and waited hopefully, wiping his nose between his thumb and index finger.

“Of course,” Jackie grinned. “You think I’d pass up an opportunity to see that tight ass in those little red swimming trunks?” she caressed her palm against his cheek. “Although I might have to chase off the other girls with a stick.”

Billy smiled and rolled his eyes. “You don’t have to worry about other girls. There’s only you.”

“I know that,” Jackie stared into his eyes and took a few seconds to just admire the curves and angles of his face. So handsome and serene in this moment. “But, I don’t think you see how girls look at you. Wishing they could be with you.”

Billy’s hands gave a reassuring squeeze where they rested against her body. “I know,” he admitted remorsefully, as if being blessed with good looks was his fault. “But, there’s only one girl I want to be with. The rest are all cows.”

“There’s going to be a lot of broken hearts in Hawkins this summer,” Jackie sighed and shook her head. “At least mine won’t be one of them,” she then smiled and placed a chaste kiss at the corner of Billy’s mouth.

“I’m gonna save up as much as I can. Try to get my own place by the end of summer. I already have a little bit saved,” he told her with a determined and serious tone as he spun them in slow circles. The sound of water swooshing as they moved filled the silent moments in between breaths. “Maybe even go to trade school. Applications are due by the end of June to start in the fall.” 

Jackie’s ears perked up and she smiled at his plans. The commitment to school just seemed to solidify his promise of staying in the area that much more. “Yeah? What program are you thinkin’?”

“Automotive. In the city,” he half-smiled. Indianapolis was only a forty-five-minute drive. He could still live at home, or at the very least get an apartment nearby and commute.

It was so fitting. “You _are_ really good with your hands,” Jackie admitted, “ _and_ really good with cars.” He had saved Tommy and their dad a few bucks a time or two with random things gone wrong with their vehicle.

“I think I want to open my own shop one day,” Billy fondly thought of his future. _Their future._ “Maybe make enough money so that you don’t have to work.” Jackie giggled and scratched her fingers in his hair at the base of his neck, opening her mouth to interject but Billy cut her off. “I can work, and you can stay at home with the kids. Little Jackie and Billy Jr.,” he snorted with a crinkled nose.

“Oh, God, Billy. You’re not gonna tell me you want me barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen, are you?” Jackie scoffed and narrowed her eyes at him.

“No,” he laughingly crooned. “I just don’t want you to have to dirty your hands with anything. Let me take care of you.”

“Billy Hargrove, are you going soft on me?” Jackie tilted her head to the side.

Billy satirically looked down at his crotch, chuckling deeply when that elicited laughter from Jackie. Their little joke was interrupted by a hotel attendant who came by to tell them that the pool was now closed. The young man waited around awkwardly, jingling his keys in his hand, while Billy and Jackie stepped out of the pool. Billy got out first to retrieve the towel for Jackie, knowing that she was uncomfortable with being seen in her wet bra and panties. Truth be told, Billy didn’t want anyone else to see her in them, either. He wrapped his arm around her on their walk back to their room, rubbing her arms up and down to ease her chill with some warm friction.

Back in the room, they took another shower. Each too tired from all the physical activity of the day, it was the longest they had kept their hands off each other in the last twelve hours. They readied themselves for bed, Jackie wearing a red satin pajama set identical to the blue one that drove him crazy. Billy opted to sleep naked, claiming that he always slept naked; but, really, he just wanted to be extra ready for her if she so desired. They shared one final kiss before settling under the covers.

Billy nestled himself behind Jackie. His knees bent into the back of hers, warm chest against the cool, silken fabric at her back. He wrapped his arm around her ribs, holding hands with her against her chest. He closed his eyes and rested with his nose against the back of her neck. She rubbed her feet against his for one last game of footsie before sleep overtook them. Billy grinned lazily at the innocent contact.

“This day was perfect,” Jackie groggily announced as she closed her eyes and sighed with content.

“Yeah, it was,” Billy agreed blissfully. His voice was low and deep when he spoke, fighting fatigue to get just one more minute with Jackie. “If you want some lovin’ in the night, you wake me up, okay?”

Jackie exhaled sharply out her nose, too tired to fully laugh, humming at the offer. “Lovin’ from my lover?”

“Hmm,” Billy drifted further away from the sound of her voice as his eyes and limbs became heavier and his breathing slowed.

Jackie laid still for a moment, replaying the day’s events and smiling at the feeling of Billy’s arm draped over her protectively. He had divulged a lot to her this evening. He planned to marry her. He had thought about having children with her. To any other sixteen-year-old, perhaps that kind of talk would have been scary or creepy. With anyone else, it would have felt too soon. But, not to Jackie. She wanted a future with Billy like she wanted air to breathe.

“I love you, Billy,” Jackie murmured, eyes too tired to open until she realized that her declaration was met with silence. Her eyes fluttered open and saw nothing but pitch black as they scrambled to adjust to the darkness. She moved her head to the side, turning her ear closer to him to hear better. “Billy?” she whispered and waited.

His breathing against her neck was soft and hot. The smallest snore when he took in air relieved her anxiety about his lack of response. She closed her mouth into a small smile and burrowed the side of her face back into her pillow again, falling asleep to the calming puffs at the back of her neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think! I love hearing from you all.


	11. Cool it Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy and Jackie find that they aren't as sly as they thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shorter chapter.
> 
> Warning: Sexual content

The next morning, Jackie awoke to feel Billy’s erection pressing against her backside. She sharply inhaled and glanced over her shoulder to see that he was still asleep. Light snores rumbled out of his throat, and frizzy curls hung over his forehead. She smiled at the look of serenity and innocence about him.

Jackie had an overwhelming urge to get up and go to the bathroom but didn’t want her movements to wake him. She slowly peeled back the covers just enough to slip her legs off the mattress and pad lightly to the bathroom. The tile was cold on her bare feet, causing her to shiver and miss the warmth of the blankets and Billy’s body beside her. The obnoxiously loud flush of the toilet made her wince, fearing that it would wake Billy up.

From her toiletry bag she retrieved a miniature bottle filled with mouthwash. She gargled with it, ensuring that her first kiss of the day would be a fresh one. A quick brush of her hair to tame the wild mess from going to sleep with it wet before heading back to the room was needed. She didn’t know what time it was, but the sliver of light outlined around the curtains suggested it was at least after six-thirty.

When she opened the bathroom door and walked into the dim room, she saw Billy leaning up against the headboard. The covers were spread over his lower half, and his arm appeared to be mildly flexing with his hand somewhere beneath the sheets.

The sight of him nearly stole her breath away. She still couldn’t believe that she was with him in a hotel. That she was with him _at all._ Fantasies being brought to life all thanks to twenty bucks from her unsuspecting father.

“Mornin’,” Billy’s voice was hoarse yet with sleep. He plucked the gum out of his mouth and set it on a wrapper of some sort on the nightstand at his side.

“Morning,” Jackie chuckled and eyed him suspiciously.

Billy watched her like a hawk as she walked around to her side of the bed. She arched an eyebrow at him but liked his eyes being on her, hungry and dominant. A bright smile appeared on his face when she got back into bed and pulled the covers over her body again.

Billy was on her in a second. His hand cupped the side of her face while his soft, dry lips brushed against hers. His breath was minty from the gum he must have popped in his mouth immediately upon waking. _He planned to do this._ Jackie smiled that he thought enough to have fresh breath for her. People really didn’t give him enough credit.

Peppering kisses down her neck and shoulder, Billy slithered his fingers beneath the strap of her camisole so he could pull it down from her shoulder. Jackie sighed and twisted her neck to grant him room to do what he wanted to do. His kisses were slow and soft, unlike how they had been the previous day. Her fingers trailed up and down his back, feeling his warm skin and taut muscles as he held himself above her. The creases in his skin from sleeping on wrinkled blankets were still present.

She felt his erection press up against her leg, but it felt a little different. She paused for a moment and kept still while Billy continued to kiss down over the top of her chest, grabbing her breasts beneath the silky material. “Are you already wearing a condom?”

Billy smiled against her and forced hot air from his nose as he chuckled. “Yeah. I was going to surprise you.” He propped himself up on one elbow to look at her. His hand found its way to her waist where the skin was exposed from her top riding up. “I was trying to be romantic so we wouldn’t have to stop while I put one on.”

Jackie hooked her arms under his pits, placing her hands on his shoulders and pulling him back down to her for a kiss. “You think of everything,” she smiled and parted her lips for a tender kiss.

They allowed their tongues to caress each other slowly. Their movements calm, having already discovered and explored each other’s bodies— now ready to truly relish and savor their next experience. While kissing, Billy’s fingers roamed downward into her shorts. He had forgotten that she didn’t wear underwear with her pajamas.

His fingers brushed through her pubic hair and continued lower to her clit. He massaged her gently, drinking the soft sighs and moans before they could escape her mouth. Despite the faint rocking of his hips telling him that he needed relief, too, he wanted to ensure that Jackie was ready.

Jackie’s fingers twirled through his hair and scratched at his scalp while his fingers worked their magic on her. His lips on her neck sent waves of shivers and bliss down her spine, causing her legs to jump and become restless.

Her hands came back down and around to his face. “Make love to me,” she whispered against his jaw before taking his earlobe between her teeth and gently grazing it. His dangly earring clinked against her teeth.

He didn’t know what it was about those words that made him melt, but they did. Perhaps it was the intimate connection associated with them. Maybe it was because that was what she had said the first time they were together. Possibly it was because it suggested that things should go nice and slow rather than fast and rough— a different yet much welcomed change of pace in his life. Altogether, it made for a more romantic, meaningful, deeper union between the two. One that he had never shared with anyone else and that he didn’t want to experience with anyone other than Jackie.

Billy sat up on his knees. The blankets fell from his back as he gripped the waistband of her sleeping shorts and slowly slid them down her legs. He raised her ankles up to his face as he removed her bottoms, giving the top of her foot a kiss before guiding her to spread her legs for him once more. Jackie giggled at the soft gesture.

He lowered himself down to her, watching as he guided his erection to her slick entrance and pushed in. Jackie bit her lip and moaned at him filling her so gratifyingly slow. Before he started to move, he adjusted his arm beside her and shared another kiss.

His hips rolled back and forth at a leisurely rate, delightfully comforting and captivatingly pleasing. They looked at each other’s faces, small smiles inviting unhurried kisses. Jackie ran her fingers through his hair. He loved the gentle tugging at his scalp, so reassuring and soothing. Billy turned to kiss her wrist before wrapping his fingers around it and gently lowering her hand down to the mattress beside her head. His fingers slid upward until they interlocked with her own.

Jackie clasped her fingers over his hand and squeezed his shoulder with her other hand. This was the slowest they had made love— even slower than the first time. It felt like time had stopped just for them.

Billy typically lasted a decent amount of time. Taking things nice and slow was guaranteed to make him last even longer. He welcomed it. Being with Jackie was great but being inside Jackie was even better. He would never admit to feeling unsafe or insecure at home under Neil’s iron fist. But, none of that mattered when he was with Jackie, in her warmth. He unconsciously squeezed her hand in his, afraid to let her go.

“I want to make love to you,” Jackie whispered while looking into Billy’s crystal blue eyes, seeing something in them that she wanted to take care of and nurture.

A brief smile spread across his lips before disappearing against her own. “Okay,” he whispered back, rolling his hips two more times, slow and deep, before pulling out of her and shifting positions to lay on his back.

Jackie crawled over him and straddled his hips, lowering herself back onto him just as slow and steady as his own movements had been. He leaned his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes just briefly at the gratifying feeling of being back inside of her.

Steadying herself by planting her hands on his chest, Jackie rolled her hips back and forth gradually. His hands, calloused from weightlifting and stronger than he realized, glided up her thighs and slithered back to her buttocks gracefully. He gave it a gentle squeeze and bit his lip at the sensation that this different position and angle granted him. Hooking his thumbs around her hips, Billy subtly began to guide Jackie in her movements. He planted his feet firmly against the mattress and raised his hips along with her motions, seeking to be as deep within her as he could possibly get.

Jackie whimpered with pleasure, closing her eyes for just a moment as she focused on the feeling of him moving along with her. She sat up a little straighter and held onto his wrists at her waist, grinding against him slowly. She gasped when she felt him rub against a spot inside of her that shot electricity to her core. 

“That feels good,” Billy breathed. All Jackie could do was nod in agreement. His eyelids appeared heavy like he was fighting against himself to continue watching Jackie while at the same time wanting to get lost in the physical satisfaction she was giving him.

Billy wanted to return the favor. He removed a hand from her hip and brought it to his lips. He licked his thumb and brought it back to her clit. Jackie moaned and leaned back slightly so he could apply pressure where she needed it most. She moved her hands back to his thighs for support, digging her fingers into the firm muscle there as she felt her body beginning to tense and shake.

The combination of him filling her and touching her bundle of nerves quickly began to build an orgasm. Jackie sped up her movements, chasing the release that she knew felt so good when Billy was the one that brought it on. So much better than anytime she had ever touched herself while thinking of him. In turn, Billy took this as his cue to speed up as well. His hips faltered, but his thumb continued to work Jackie until she was fully satisfied.

Jackie swayed forward, slamming her hands down against his chest as she released a loud and long moan. Billy hissed when she dug her fingernails into his pecs. He removed his hand from her clit and returned it to her hips. His hips again raised, this time faster and harder as he held her own hips in place. After a few more seconds, he achieved his own release. His head and shoulders lifted from the bed as he grunted and stiffened his muscles while he orgasmed, still feeling the pulsating throbs of her vagina around him.

Jackie watched his face as he came. His eyes squinted shut, his cheeks rose and blushed, and his jaw fell open and momentarily seemed to lock. It was beautiful to see him so uninhibited. When he opened his eyes and looked at Jackie, she smiled at him. He smiled back, looking as if he was intoxicated from their lovemaking.

“That was—”

“I know,” Jackie interrupted when he stopped to swallow.

She dipped down to kiss his lips. He smiled against her mouth, soon flicking his tongue out to meet hers as they deepened the show of affection. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her against his chest, but she did not mind. Her favorite place to be was in Billy’s arms. Funny how something so new can suddenly become something so favored.

Jackie pulled away from him and propped herself up on her hands, staring down at his chiseled face. His eyes were soft and innocent. He smirked and twitched his nose when she stared without saying anything.

“What?” he chuckled, slightly cocking his head where he lay.

Jackie dreamily shook her head and responded, “You’re so beautiful.”

 _He truly was_. Blonde-haired and blue-eyed. Muscled and chiseled. Curly hair fanned behind his head like a halo. Angelic, if he wasn’t such a hellraiser.

Billy amusingly huffed and told her, “That’s supposed to be _my_ line,” while his fingers danced along her spine. He lifted the silky, red fabric of her top several inches to feel her body, surprised that they were able to keep it on this time. 

She contemplated telling him she loved him again. Last night, she wasn’t sure if it was a blessing or not that he had been asleep when she said it. _Was it too soon?_ Billy had certainly shared some things with her over the last several days that she had never heard him say before. While it was previously known that Billy didn’t really _do_ feelings, she wondered if he would with her. Would it scare him, her saying it so soon? It shouldn’t. After all, he had told her he would marry her someday… that they would have children together. _Little Jackie and Billy Jr.:_ those were _his_ words. That _had_ to be some sort of indication of love.

“Something’s on your mind,” Billy said matter-of-factly, fingers stopping at her waist again. Thumbs gently rubbed up and down against her skin.

“I love you,” she blurted out. Seeing the wide-eyed expression on his face caused her to backtrack. “You don’t have to say it back, but I wanted to let you know. I think I’ve loved you for a while,” she couldn’t stop herself from continuing, breaking eye contact and instead watching her own fingers trace circles around his nipple.

Billy didn’t remember the last time someone had told him that they loved him. It might have been his mother. _Years ago_ , before she left him. His dad had maybe said it once or twice in his entire life. Maybe Susan had said it once; he couldn’t remember. Regardless, none of them had the same effect on him as hearing those words pour from Jackie’s mouth. And none of them scared him as much, either.

This was different. This was coming from a lover. He felt different, too. Those butterfly wings flapping in his stomach and the drawn-out, achy feeling in his chest when he was away from Jackie meant something. He was terrified to lose it. To lose this feeling. To lose _her._

She looked back up at him, growing nervous the longer he remained quiet. He closed his eyes and swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling dry and constricting. Saying the words wasn’t difficult. It was the fact that it made him feel so vulnerable. It would be out there. Right out in the open. For Jackie to do with as she pleased. In Billy’s experience, love always hurt, and he didn’t want it to.

Jackie slowly raised her hand to his face and cupped his cheek. He opened his eyes and looked at her again. They were wet. Rimmed with tears that he was clearly trying his damnedest to fight back. Jackie didn’t know his whole story. Bits and pieces here and there from Max or seeing his interactions with his father. She knew he didn’t exactly have it easy, and she wondered when the last time was that he had heard someone tell him _I love you._

So, she said it again, more confidently. “I love you,” she nodded her head.

*****

The entire drive back to Billy’s house was spent hand-in-hand. One of the few times in his life he actually drove the speed limit. It made a difference of probably only moments, but it gave him a little more time in Jackie’s presence. Her thumb rubbed back and forth over his hand while holding it in her lap. He looked down at his ring on her digit and smirked.

They got their story straight. If his family asked, he had spent the night at Jackie and Tommy’s house. Jackie and Max had made plans anyway to work on the final touches of their project on Sunday. But, Tommy didn’t need to know that. No. Instead, Jackie’s family would think that she had spent the night at Max’s house.

It was nearly lunchtime when Billy parked the Camaro on the street in front of his house. It was likely that everyone was home. His dad and stepmom weren’t exactly church-people. Church would probably catch on fire if anyone from the Hargrove clan stepped inside.

Billy released his hand from Jackie’s to place the car into park and turn off the ignition. Once the keys were removed, he placed his hand on her thigh, glancing between her and the front of the house. He wanted to kiss her. His car was loud, drew interest everywhere it went. He used to love how it commanded attention, but in this moment with Jackie he wanted it to just be him and her without the threat of inquisitive eyes.

“Kiss me,” he said lightly, as if someone in the house might hear.

Jackie grinned and turned to look out her window. She didn’t see anyone looking out any windows. Then again, the glare from the sun made it difficult to know for sure. When she turned back around, Billy just turned his cheek and tapped it.

“Come on,” he said, sensing the hesitation.

 _Screw it._ Jackie quickly leaned over to plant a chaste kiss on his cheek. As her lips approached his skin, he rapidly turned his face so that she got his lips instead. Jackie’s eyes widened and she let out a short laugh at his little trick. He stuck his tongue between his teeth and scrunched his nose— the playful side of him shining through.

Movement on the porch caught Billy’s eye. He looked over to see who it was. _Max._ She stood on the sunporch at the top step. Arms cross, hip popped out to the side. Barefoot and tapping her toes. Fiery red hair pulled up high into a topknot.

“Uh oh,” Billy grumbled. “It’s the warden.”

“What?” Jackie furrowed her brow and turned to see Max staring impatiently at the car. She chuckled at Billy’s nickname for her. She did have a bit of a law and order vibe going on right now. “Do you think she saw?” Jackie asked quietly, not moving her lips much as Billy reached into the backseat for her bag.

“No,” Billy said with fake certainty.

Billy handed the bag to Jackie. She smiled and waved at Max as she stepped out of the vehicle and closed the door behind her. She waited for Billy to round the front of the car and make his way up to the sidewalk where she was. Nervous and needing to occupy her hands, she grasped the strap of the small duffel bag in front of her with both hands.

“After you,” he held his hand out to allow her to walk in front of him.

The sidewalk was only wide enough for people to walk single-file; but, truth be told, he wanted to watch the bounce of her ass in those short denim cutoffs behind the safety of his silver aviator sunglasses. He had been careful not to leave any marks on Jackie, although it was damn tempting with that sweet spot beneath her ear and the way he was able to coax the sweetest, sexiest sounds from her when he nipped and licked and sucked at it. He really wished he already had a job so he would have another twenty bucks to spare for a second night in a hotel with her. _Soon_ , he reminded himself.

Max didn’t move but continued to look down at Jackie and Billy, a look of suspicion clear on her freckled face. Her silence was deafening to Jackie, who approached rather cautiously.

“You okay?” Jackie stopped at the bottom of the steps, trying to decipher what the look was all about.

Max looked between Jackie and Billy. Billy stopped behind Jackie and stared at Max, his tone less apprehensive than Jackie’s. “The hell are you staring at, shitbird?”

Max puckered her lips at the name he called her and tilted her head to the side in exasperation. “What’s going on between you two?” she motioned between the two of them with her hand.

Jackie’s eyes narrowed and she let out a short huff, turning to look at Billy before looking back at Max again. “What do you mean?”

Billy was stone-faced. Max waited for a response from him, but when she didn’t get one, she looked back at Jackie and calmly stated, “Your brother called here last night, looking for Billy. Which is kind of funny because Billy said he was spending the night at your house.”

Jackie gulped and heard Billy sigh and mutter, _“Shit,”_ from behind her.

“When I told him Billy wasn’t here, he then asked me what time he should be here to pick you up today.” Max’s tone was calm but marked with a confidence that screamed _I know what you’re up to._ Looking back and forth between the two, she could see a more panicked look on Jackie’s face. Max sighed. “Look, if you’re going to be pulling some shit and making me part of the lie, at least let me know about it ahead of time so I’m not caught off guard. I told him four o’clock, by the way.”

Jackie shot her head up to look at Max, who smirked and gave her a wink. Jackie sheepishly smiled and looked at Billy, who looked kind of confused.

“Wait,” Billy held his hand up. “What’s happening here?”

“I _know,_ doofus,” Max said, finally dropping her arms and slapping her outer thighs. “It’s not hard to piece together.”

He took a step forward and tilted his head slightly. “What is it that you think you know?” Billy tried to play coy.

“Well,” Max walked down the steps, “I talked with Stacy Devereaux yesterday who shared a rather eventful retelling of prom night and how you took off with Jackie after beating the shit out of her prom date. That happened around seven o’clock. You didn’t get home until well after midnight. Then, the whole phone call with Tommy and you not being where you said you’d be. Not to mention,” Max grabbed Jackie’s wrist and held her hand up at eye level, revealing Billy’s thick, silver ring on her thumb, “I can’t help but notice that Jackie has a new accessory, and you’re missing one.”

Jackie bit her lips together and looked to the side at Billy, who looked at her for guidance on how he should respond. She smirked and shrugged her shoulders.

“Who have you told?” Billy looked over at Max and asked with low volume.

“No one,” Max shook her head. “They’re not here, by the way.”

“Good. Keep it that way,” Billy warned her.

It wasn’t that he was ashamed of Jackie. Nothing could be further from the truth. Because of Billy’s reputation, the girls that he went out with also developed a reputation, at least according to his father. _Whores and sluts._ He would be damned if his father ever used those words to describe Jackie. Billy had never thrown a fist at his father. He didn’t want to, because he knew that his father was a strong man. But, Lord help him if he _ever_ talked about Jackie the way he talked about other girls he had been with.

“Why? Neil actually _likes_ Jackie,” Max pointed out matter-of-factly. This made Jackie smile. “He might even think that she’ll settle your ass down.”

Their prom night story was probably going to be a hot topic of discussion at school. Rumors would be sure to fly and details would likely be embellished. Jackie and Billy had discussed a gradual show of affection over the next week or so before announcing to family and friends that they were together. They didn’t want the exact details of their night to be known or guessed upon, but rather for it to be viewed as a catalyst that sparked something between them.

“Just,” Billy cut her off with a bit of attitude before sighing and nodding his head, “leave it to us, would ya?”

Max pouted and placed a hand over her heart. “Aww,” she said, repeating, “ _us.”_

Jackie chuckled and walked past Max to go in the house. Blush crept onto her cheeks at how Max was poking fun at them. “You’re an asshole,” she said lightly.

“A big one,” Billy chided, following Jackie up the steps and placing his hand at her lower back to guide her to the door.

Max threw her head back and grumbled. “Seriously though,” Max hopped up the steps and called out to Jackie as she entered the house. “Out of all the people in the world, you had to choose my brother?”


	12. Say it Isn't So

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All good things must come to an end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Sexual content
> 
> Also... the shit is going to hit the fan.

Billy slumped down in his chair for third period Social Studies. A small smirk spread across his lips as he replayed Max making kissy faces to him and Jackie in the hall before he threw a pencil at her. Luckily no one seemed to pay much attention to the interaction. It gave him the opportunity to squeeze Jackie through her denim skirt before saying goodbye to her as she walked into her classroom and he backtracked to his class.

Max was being a tad annoying about the whole situation. He wondered if she was being overly facetious about it because it grossed her out: the thought of her stepbrother with her best friend. He hoped she didn’t think too much about it. Definitely hoped that she wouldn’t ask Jackie for details like friends often do. That would be weird.

The bell rang, and Doug Nieman was the last one to walk into the classroom. He walked tall and slow with his books in his hand at his side. The tension in the air was so thick it could be cut with a knife. As if the rumors hadn’t already spread like wildfire, all eyes were on him and Billy as he approached his seat directly behind the blonde bad boy.

Billy eyeballed him with a faint smirk tugging at one corner of his mouth. Doug approached unhurriedly, glaring at Billy without blinking. Whispers bounced throughout the classroom before dying off to the point where it was so quiet they could hear a pin drop. Students held their breath in anticipation of what might unfold between the two.

The football jock was a sight to be seen. A swollen nose braced with a splint and white medical tape, purple and yellow bruises beneath both eyes— probably lighter than what they were Saturday morning. Billy knew it was Jackie that had given him those bruises; but, Doug, being the coward that he was, had blamed it on Billy.

Billy didn’t care. Whether Doug wanted to admit that he got his ass handed to him by a girl or wanted the school to believe that Billy had beat the shit out of him didn’t really matter. Either way, Doug was a loser.

They only broke eye contact when Doug walked past Billy to get to his seat. He sat down harshly with a grunt, immediately kicking both of his feet against the metal legs at the back of Billy’s chair. Billy chuckled under his breath and shook his head at Doug’s attempt to get on his nerves.

Throughout the class, Doug’s toes tapped against Billy’s chair. It didn’t bother Billy one bit. If anything, Billy found it pathetic. He wasn’t going to be goaded into a fight at school. Even though it would give him great pleasure to feel Doug’s bones snap in his hands, dealing with the aftermath at home was something he did not want. It was too close to graduation. He couldn’t afford to screw up now.

Towards the end of class, the teacher was sitting at his desk, talking with a student about their assignment. The rest of the class had turned their attention to other things, disappointed that no fists flew or fighting words spewed. If it hadn’t happened by now, they figured it wouldn’t happen at all.

“Hargrove,” Doug grumbled lightly from behind Billy. He ignored him. Doug cleared his throat and roughly kicked the back of Billy’s chair, saying more firmly, “ _Hargrove.”_

“What?” Billy turned his head partially with annoyance.

Doug held a folded monetary note between his index and middle fingers, extending it out towards Billy. When Billy saw it, his stomach twisted and heart jumped into his throat. Doug assumed Billy won the wager. The way he and Jackie had left the prom together, laughing while running hand-in-hand, was an indication of their comfort with each other. Given Billy’s reputation, it was only natural to assume what happened between the two of them when he tore out of that parking lot like a bat out of hell with a pretty girl in a form-fitting dress hanging out his window.

Images of Jackie flashed through his head. Of her naked body writhing beneath him on that blanket out by the lake. Legs wrapped about his waist as she moaned his name. Phantom fingernails scratched at his back, reminded him that he did, in fact, take her virginity on prom night. And the bet was to sleep with her by the end of prom night.

He hadn’t planned it to happen that way. He had no idea that night when he parked his car outside of the prom venue that he would sleep with Jackie; that they would end up passionately entwined in each other’s legs and arms. That the next day they would spend twenty-one hours in a hotel room together, making love and talking about their future. That Jackie would tell him she loved him.

“Put it away, Nieman,” Billy shook his head and turned away. “Nothing happened.”

Doug scoffed and continued to hold his fingers out. “Yeah right, man. Come on. A bet is a bet. I lost, you won. Just take it already.”

Billy was actually surprised that Doug was willing to fork over the cash. He expected him to play dirty, to keep the money as a consolation for his wounded pride. But, Billy wasn’t willing to accept the money. It was a bet he didn’t mean to make in the first place. He never meant to do anything that would embarrass Jackie, and he certainly didn’t want to place himself in a situation that would make her question his motives for coming to her rescue or wanting to be with her.

“And I’m telling you,” Billy turned to look at Doug again while he repeated the lie with a convincing tone. “Nothing happened. I took her home. That’s it.”

Doug curled his fingers to bring the tightly folded twenty-dollar bill into his palm and studied Billy’s face for a few seconds, trying to determine the truth. His thin lips warped into a jeering grin as he let out a short chuckle.

“Well, well,” he reached his hand into his pocket to put away the money. “Pussy-slayer Billy Hargrove got turned down. Someone call the press.”

Billy rolled his eyes and faced forward once again. There was no point in talking more than he needed to. He said what he needed to say. Did his part to not accept the money or share intimate details that weren’t his alone to share.

“Shame,” Doug sighed and licked his lips. A devious grin displayed his pearly whites. “I bet she’s a hellcat in the sack. Guess you’ll never know, huh?”

Billy pursed his lips and grinded his teeth together at the way Doug referred to Jackie. “Guess not,” he mumbled in response, doing his best to keep from turning around and smacking Doug’s teeth out of his mouth.

*****

Billy stared across the two tables in between him and Jackie during their study hall. She was working on her math equations, absentmindedly chewing on the eraser of her pencil. Billy’s tongue poked out to wet his bottom lip before his teeth scraped against it, watching as she twisted the pencil between her fingers and gently bit down on the tip. How he wanted to be that pencil, trapped between her luscious lips. She was sexy when she wasn’t even trying to be.

As if she could hear the dirty thoughts running through his mind, she glanced up at him and smiled. She slowly dragged the pencil from between her lips and scribbled something on a fresh piece of her notebook paper. She quietly tore the paper along the periphery and balled it up. Taking a quick look throughout the room to make sure no one was looking, she then tossed the crumpled paper at Billy.

He smiled and caught the paper in both his hands. He, too, glanced around the room to ensure that no one had seen the exchange. Satisfied that everyone was minding their business, he quietly smoothed out the wrinkles of the note.

_B Wing?_

Billy’s eyes widened and his head shot up to look at her. _The janitor’s closet._ His pulse quickened, and he could hear the blood flow in his ears.

_Really?_ he mouthed to her with wide eyes.

Jackie nodded her head. Subtly, she brought her fist to her mouth, formed a perfect ‘O’ with her lips, and poked her tongue against the inside of her cheek. She moved her tongue and fist at the same time to signal to Billy what she wanted to do. She then lowered her fist and smiled cheekily as she waited for his response.

He felt his dick twitch and begin to harden in his pants.

_Oh my God. Fuck yeah,_ he mouthed, wrinkling his forehead and nodding his head with enthusiasm.

Jackie bit her lip and then motioned with her head to follow her lead. He watched her stand up from where she sat and walk over to the librarian’s desk. The denim skirt that hung halfway down her thighs would give him easy access to reciprocate. He couldn’t believe this was happening. He had had a lot of sex in his short life, but he never had sex while in school.

About a minute after Jackie exited the room, Billy cleared his throat and stood from his table. He shoved the note in his pocket and headed towards the door.

“Mr. Hargrove,” the old librarian peered up from her thick glasses. “Where are you going?” Her tone was nearly reprimanding. The skin around her mouth wrinkled as she puckered her lips in disapproval.

He stopped in his tracks. Unashamed, he looked at her, pointed to the door, and said, “I gotta take a leak.”

She sighed at his brash explanation of what he needed to do and turned away from him to retrieve a laminated blue hall pass. She held it up and watched him with judgmental eyes. Regardless of how many years she had been an educator, she could not get used to the crass language and behavior of today’s youth.

Billy smirked and snatched the card from her hand, giving her a wink as he did so. She quickly looked away from him and returned her attention to whatever she was doing at the desk before he walked by.

B wing was just one hallway over. Classes had not even been in session for twenty minutes yet. The halls were silent. Muffled voices from behind closed doors were teaching various subjects, unaware of what debauchery was about to go down in the janitor’s closet.

He walked with purpose as he turned down the hallway. He smiled when he saw the closed door of the janitor’s closet, wondering what Jackie was going to look like when he walked in. Would she be fully clothed? Would she be undressed? Would she already be on her knees? Resting his hand on the silver doorknob, he quickly looked behind him and down the hall to make sure no one saw him enter the closet.

A dim light illuminated the small room well enough to see everything. Billy pushed the lock on the inside of the doorknob as he pulled it shut. When he turned around, Jackie threw herself against him. His back hit the door with a heavy _thud_ as her arms curled around his neck and lips crashed against his. He dropped his hall pass on the floor.

“Shit, Jackie,” he laughed softly as she placed her hands on his waist and guided him until he was standing against the wall several feet over from the door.

The smirk on his face soon faded, replaced by parted lips with heavy breaths flowing between them. Jackie’s hands were all over him as she pressed hard kisses against his throat and down his exposed chest. Billy bit his lip to keep from making too much noise. His erection pressed painfully against the seam of his tight jeans.

“I missed you yesterday,” she breathed against his neck.

Since it was the holiday weekend, and her father would be leaving for another business trip today and taking her mother along, she had needed to dedicate some time to spending with family. Memorial Day was the only day during the long weekend that she had not seen Billy, and it was damn near torture.

Billy closed his eyes and leaned his head back. “I missed you, too, baby,” he huskily responded, fingers digging into her hips.

“Since you surprised me the other morning,” she panted against his warm skin, referring to their tryst at the hotel Sunday morning, “I wanted to do something to surprise you.”

His hands flew up to her hair, twisting his fingers in the soft strands and pulling her in for a heated kiss. He groaned when he felt her fingers tug at his belt buckle. Wanting to touch her, he released one hand from her hair and quickly reached it under her skirt. He rubbed her over her underwear for only a second before she smacked his forearm and nudged his hand away with her leg. He looked at her in surprise.

“No touching,” Jackie’s face was serious but so damn cute when she took control. She unzipped his jeans and gave a rough tug at the waist while making direct eye contact with Billy, pulling his pants and boxers down just low enough to expose his penis. “It’s my turn to do something for you.”

“You’re cute when you’re bossy,” he grinned.

Billy bit his lip while he watched her lower herself to her knees in front of him. Their eyes were locked on each other until she was on the floor. A waft of his cologne hit her in the face, and she couldn’t help but smirk. She looked at his penis and knew that she would not be able to fit the whole thing in her mouth. She had never given a blowjob before, but she imagined that any amount of touching she did would be appreciated and feel good to Billy.

Jackie rubbed her hands up Billy’s thighs, massaging the hard muscles in his legs before wrapping her fingers around the base of his erection. Billy drew in a sharp breath when she gave a few languid strokes. The hand that Billy had in her hair clenched tighter in response but did not hurt or force her before she was ready.

Cautiously, Jackie leaned forward and licked the tip of his penis before taking the head into her mouth. Billy sighed and murmured a few curse words, finally closing his eyes and losing sight of Jackie as he focused on the pleasurable sensation below.

She bobbed her head back and forth, her hand stroking his base at the same pace as her mouth. Her tongue swirled around his head and then flattened to lick his shaft while she took him in. Billy placed a slight amount of pressure at the back of her head and angled his hips in hopes of her taking him deeper into her throat. She gagged as she felt an invasive prodding at the back of her throat and pulled away.

“Billy,” she quietly scolded, wiping her mouth with her free hand.

“Sorry,” he quickly apologized, encouraging her back to him with his hand at the back of her head. “Sorry,” he repeated breathlessly. “It just feels so fucking good. You’re doing great, sweetheart.”

Jackie smirked and then took him in her mouth again, feeling empowered by his compliment. For a first timer, she was doing something that brought him pleasure. She wanted to make him cum; wanted to make him feel as good as what he made her feel. She sped up her strokes and licks, increasing the suction and gripping him tighter.

Billy’s panting became faster and shorter. He alternated between gripping her hair and petting it, doing his best to not push her against him— to let her set the pace and have control. He moaned when Jackie brought her other hand back to his thigh and palmed him until she reached his testicles, offering a sensual massage that intensified the electric feeling growing in his groin.

“Shit. Fuck,” Billy grunted, squinting his eyes tight, fighting back the urge to cum because he wanted this moment to last. He couldn’t, though. He released Jackie’s hair and tapped her twice on the shoulder roughly with his index and middle fingers. “Stop. I’m gonna cum.” He gripped her shoulder and gently pushed her back from him.

His penis left her mouth with a wet _popping_ sound. Jackie leaned back on her heels and looked up at him in confusion as she wiped the saliva from her lips. Her knees ached on the cool, marble floor, but she remained kneeling in front of him. She watched as Billy wrapped his own fingers around his penis and grabbed a rag off the janitor’s cart beside him. He pumped himself fast and hard for a few seconds and came into the rag with a grunt that he tried to muffle behind closed lips.

“I would’ve tried it, you know,” Jackie quietly said as she stood up and looked at his flushed face. She had no idea what it would have tasted like or felt like, but if it meant pleasing Billy, she wanted to do it.

Billy opened his eyes and smiled, wagging his tongue against his bottom lip the way he does when he is excited. He wiped at his penis with the rag before tossing it in the large trash can on the cart. He pulled his boxers and jeans back up. “Maybe next time,” he smirked while buckling his belt. “Come here,” he said once his pants were situated. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against his chest, kissing her passionately on the mouth.

Jackie sharply inhaled and pulled away from the kiss when she felt his fingers return beneath her skirt to her clothed sex. “Billy,” she grabbed his wrist and reluctantly pushed it away. “We have to get back to the library.”

Billy arched his neck forward, chasing after her lips to continue the kiss that she had pulled away from. “Come on, baby. Just give me one minute,” he resisted her pushing slightly. “You know I’m good for it.”

Jackie chuckled against his lips but pushed his hand away again. “Maybe next time,” she used his words from earlier. “Any longer and Mrs. Morris will be suspicious. It already looks bad that we left and will be coming back at the same time.”

Billy knew she had a point, but he could already feel from rubbing against her that there was a damp spot on her underwear. He wanted to feel her wetness. It turned him on knowing that she became aroused from providing him pleasure.

He growled lowly in response, “Fine. You go back first. I’ll wait a minute or two behind.” He pecked her lips again before leaning back against the wall.

Jackie stepped back away from him and looked down at her outfit. She smoothed the front of her skirt and tugged it down to make sure that no parts of her were exposed. She then ran her fingers through her hair, knowing that Billy’s fingers had likely ruffled it a bit.

“Do I look okay?” Jackie glanced up at Billy with big, bright eyes as she combed her fingers through her hair to make it look presentable.

Billy smirked and brought his hand up to her hair. She lowered her hand and allowed him to run his own fingers through her silky locks. “Beautiful,” he confirmed, leaning forward to kiss her again on the lips.

Jackie giggled as she placed her hand on the doorknob. “See you in study hall, _loverrrrr.”_ She winked and opened the door.

Billy grinned and tongued at his molar. Light flooded the tiny room as she made her exit. As fast as it had appeared, it was gone again when the door quietly latched following her departure. Billy huffed a little chuckle and ran his fingers through his messy curls, licking his lips and taking a deep breath at the exciting experience Jackie had just given him.

Another minute had passed, and Billy pushed himself away from the wall. He bent down to pick up the hall pass and then flicked the light switch off and carefully opened the door. Billy peeked through the crack to look out into the empty hallway. Satisfied that he saw no one, he stepped outside and closed the door behind him, heading back to the library with a little more pep in his step.

Billy hadn’t noticed Doug Nieman standing in the doorway of the boys’ bathroom several doors behind the janitor’s closet. Seeing Jackie leaving the janitor’s closet while he was on his way to the restroom had caught his eye. So, he decided to wait around to see who else would come out of the little room. It came as no surprise that the person who followed was Billy Hargrove.

*****

Jackie sat her tray down at Billy, Tommy, and Carol’s lunch table. Billy looked up at her and smirked as he took a bite out of his red apple. Jackie blushed at the way Billy stared. The same way he looked at her that night at Benny’s after they had been together for the first time. Still hungry and wanton.

“Are you lost?” Tommy asked his sister from directly beside Billy.

Jackie sat down across from Billy and shot an irritated glance at her brother. “No.”

Tommy paused with his mouth open. His half-masticated piece of pizza rolled around in his mouth as he waited for more of a response. Jackie never sat with them.

“Why are you sitting here?” he asked with narrowed eyes. His tone was a mix of confusion and annoyance.

“Tommy,” Carol chastised loudly. “She can sit with us. It’s fine.”

Jackie got along well with Carol. She had been around for the past five years. Carol was the one who taught her how to put on makeup, how to flirt with boys, and gave some pretty decent fashion advice. She also called Tommy on his shit, which is what Jackie probably loved the most about her.

“Max and the guys are having A.V. Club since there was no school yesterday. I’m by myself today. Figured I could sit with you,” Jackie explained. It wasn’t a lie. The gang was having lunch with Mr. Clarke and attending to club duties. Really, it was the perfect opportunity to sit with Billy. “Remove the stick from your ass.”

“Yeah, Tommy. Remove the stick from your ass, pal,” Billy grinned at Tommy before looking back at Jackie and winking.

Tommy rolled his eyes and offered a mocking laugh in response to others at the table chuckling. He eventually smiled and resumed his conversation with Carol. Jackie and Billy were too busy making eyes at each other that neither of them noticed Doug approaching the table until he was standing at the edge and slapped down a twenty dollar bill in front of Billy with an audible _smack_ against the hard surface.

Jackie flinched and Billy looked down at the green bill beneath Doug’s palm. His heart jumped into his throat as his eyes roamed up Doug’s arm until he eventually looked at his bruised face. Doug had a cocky smirk on his face as he stared at Billy.

“You’ve got balls coming over here, Nieman,” Tommy said loudly, sitting up straight as he rested his forearm on the table.

Doug glanced at Tommy and grinned before looking back at Billy. He felt great satisfaction in seeing Billy’s shoulders slump and his cheeks turn red. “I’m just paying the winner, is all.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” asked Tommy with irritation. At this point, he knew all about the prom night bet between Doug and his buddies.

Doug returned his gaze to Tommy and shrugged his shoulders. “Kinda awkward here, but, uh,” Doug looked at Jackie quickly, feigning sympathy, before looking at Tommy once more, “we had a wager as to who could sleep with Jackie first by the end of prom night.” Doug nodded to Billy and looked at the blonde teen. “Billy here won. I’m just paying him the _twenty_ bucks.”

The table fell silent as all eyes were locked on Billy. Jackie’s heart raced and her chest felt like there was a cinder block crushing her lungs. Billy’s jaw tensed as he forced himself to look at her. The sorrowful look in his eyes all but confirmed everything Doug had said.

Tommy scoffed and broke the silence. “That’s not true,” he looked around the table at the shocked expression on everyone’s faces and the smug look on Doug’s. Tommy looked at Billy and realized for the first time since he had arrived in Hawkins, he was silent and meek. “Is it?” he asked in a quieter, more hesitant tone.

Jackie’s vision became blurry as tears rimmed her lower eyelids. When he said nothing, Jackie asked, “Billy?”

Billy gently shook his head and opened his mouth as if to say something, but the words didn’t come. His worst fears were coming true. Like any other time in his life that this had happened, he felt like he didn’t have a voice. “Jackie, I didn’t mean to… I…” he paused, not knowing what to say.

“You son-of-a- _bitch_ ,” Jackie snarled as the tears finally poured down her cheeks. She quickly pushed her chair back. The metal legs scraped against the floor loudly as she stood to walk away.

Billy mirrored her movements, rapidly pushing himself up and away from the table to catch up to her. “Jackie, wait,” he desperately called out. His long legs caught up to her after just several strides. He reached out and grabbed her elbow.

“ _Don’t_ touch me!” Jackie yelled as she whipped around and jerked her arm from his grasp. Her eyes shot daggers at him.

The entire lunchroom was watching. People froze in their tracks to look and listen. Billy’s shoulders hunched upward at the sound of her yelling at him. Jackie’s eyes wandered over the room. The amount of attention on her made her feel self-conscious. She lowered her voice.

“You told me you would never hurt me,” Jackie reminded him softly with a cracking voice and wet cheeks. She shook her head and turned to walk away from him again.

Billy stepped forward and grabbed her arm again. “Jackie, please,” he pulled her back rougher than he had intended.

Her chest slammed against his, and he leaned down to kiss her passionately on the lips. If only she could feel from the way he kissed her that his feelings for her were real and not part of some bet, then maybe she would give him a chance to explain. Jackie grunted at the contact and pushed his chest harshly. She slapped his cheek for the unwanted contact. A sharp _crack_ echoed in the large dining area. Gasps and hoots and wolf whistles followed as Jackie ran from the room, leaving Billy behind in a state of shock.

Carol brushed past Billy to run after Jackie and check on her. Tommy jogged past Billy, slowing to glance at him briefly before continuing towards the exit to go after his sister.

Billy felt lightheaded. His chest rose and fell but he felt like he couldn’t get enough air. He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to go after her, but at the same time she had made it very clear that she wanted nothing to do with him right now.

Doug walked up behind Billy with his hands on his narrow hips. He grinned and asked, “So, was I right? Is she a hellcat in the sack?”

Billy’s face burned with fury. He wasn’t sure if it was at the sound of Doug’s voice or the words that he used, but he couldn’t take it anymore. Doug had just ruined his life. Billy turned around and lashed out at Doug, tackling him to the floor, pinning his legs down with his own, and wailing on him fist over fist as he bellowed at the top of his lungs.

Tommy turned around in the hallway at hearing the commotion of yelling and cheering coming from the cafeteria. All he could see was a crowd of students. His attention was drawn away from the cafeteria when he heard Jackie’s gut-wrenching sobs. He turned around and saw Jackie clinging to Carol for dear life against a row of lockers. Her knees were buckled and fingers clasped tightly to the back of Carol’s shirt.

“Tommy!” Carol called out.

He jogged down the hallway to the two girls. Jackie’s face was red, wet, and splotchy. When Jackie saw her brother, she switched her hold from Carol to him, throwing her arms around his shoulders.

“Get me out of here,” Jackie cried, words barely understandable as she gasped for breath and tried to talk through her sobs. “Get me out of here!” she repeated, hanging onto Tommy.

His heart broke for her. He frowned, not knowing what to say to her. He decided that right now she didn’t need words, she needed him to take action. He swooped down and hooked his arm under her wobbly knees, picking her up in his arms and quickly walking towards the exit to the student lot.

Billy came running out of the cafeteria. His bloodied and raw knuckles ached, but not nearly as bad as his heart did. He ran towards the glass doors at the front of the building, seeing Tommy and Carol making their way towards the student lot.

He forcefully pushed open the door and nearly fell over himself as he rushed to the sidewalk. He stopped when he saw the passenger door to Tommy’s car close and Tommy hurry around the front of his vehicle. As Tommy opened the driver’s side door and was about to get in, he saw Billy and raised his middle finger in the air at his former best friend. Billy watched as Tommy put the car in reverse and drove away from the school. Jackie was somewhere in that car, crying with a broken heart because of him.

The door behind him clicked open. “Hargrove!” a deep voice scolded. He didn’t bother looking. He knew it was the coach. A large hand landed on his shoulder, gentler than what he was expecting. Long fingers squeezed his shoulder, almost reassuringly, before the deep voice prompted him, “Come on, son. You’re needed in the principal’s office.”


	13. When Doves Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy and Jackie's relationship is now out in the open, and Tommy has some opinions on the matter.

Carol stepped out of Jackie’s bedroom and closed the door behind her. She sighed and paused for a moment, leaning her head against the white wood and preparing herself for Tommy’s reaction. She pushed herself away from the door and walked into Tommy’s bedroom. He was sitting up on his bed, resting his back against his headboard with his legs outstretched and ankles crossed. Carol gave him a pitiful look as she walked into his room and closed the door for privacy. He removed his headphones and pressed _stop_ on his Walkman.

“Well?” Tommy asked with a grimace, fearing the worst. She had been in Jackie’s room for almost an hour with her.

Carol sat on the edge of the bed and drew her knee up close to Tommy’s. She nodded her head and sighed. She knew Tommy would not take this news well. “She and Billy slept together.”

Tommy gnashed his teeth together and wrinkled his nose as his lips puckered in anger, looking away from Carol to gather his thoughts. “That son-of-a-bitch. I’m gonna fuckin’ kill ‘im.”

Carol placed her hand on Tommy’s knee and squeezed it in an effort to calm him down. “Tommy,” she shook her head gently. “She loves him.”

Tommy nearly snapped his neck when he turned to look at Carol again. Her eyes were soft, and her thin, bubblegum-pink lips were turned downward into a frown.

“ _Love?_ ” Tommy echoed with an incredulous tone. “She hardly knows him!” he raised his voice and stretched out his arm in the direction of Jackie’s room. “She’s a pretty girl, and he’s a good lookin’ guy. That’s _it._ Billy doesn’t do relationships. He does one-night-stands. And I _told_ him. I _TOLD him_ to stay away from her. That she wasn’t like those other girls, and that I wouldn’t stand to see her heart broken and hear rumors about her. And now look where we are: heartbroken and ammo for the rumor mill.”

Tommy’s pale skin reddened beneath his freckles, causing them to stand out in deep contrast. Billy got around; everyone knew that. And now, thanks to him and the shitshow that went down in the cafeteria, everyone was going to know that he slept with Jackie. The wolf whistles and _yeah babies_ that were hollered as she retreated from the cafeteria were a good indication that this was a source of entertainment for their fellow students. There was no way this wouldn’t be talked about for at least the next several days. He was just thankful that there was only one more week left of school, that she wouldn’t have to put up with the torment for long. Billy and Doug would be gone by next school year, and by then, people would likely forget.

Carol shook her head in disagreement. “It wasn’t a one-night-stand.”

Tommy raised his eyebrows. “Come again?”

“It wasn’t a one-night-stand,” she repeated herself, knowing that Tommy had heard her the first time.

“ _Multiple_ times?” Tommy asked with a jutting lower jaw.

“Yeah,” Carol answered shortly. “She said he was very,” Carol pierced Tommy with her eyes when he shot her a look that silently requested _please don’t finish that sentence,_ “sweet.”

“I don’t want to know what he was like during sex with my sister. _Jesus_ ,” Tommy fake gagged.

Carol chuckled. “Well, I know from hearing gossip what he has been like with other girls. And sweet was never the word that was used.” She rolled her eyes in annoyance when Tommy scrunched his face in disgust. “Look, I know that you don’t like it, but she said she loves him, Tommy. I mean, who are we to tell her that that’s not what she feels? You remember the first time you told me you loved me?”

Tommy huffed a short chuckle, bouncing his chest and shoulders once. It was right after she had given him a hand-job behind the bleachers at the seventh grade dance. They had only been dating for a month at that time. Dating as much as two seventh graders who depended on their parents to drop them off at the movies could date.

“That was different.”

“How was that different?” Carol asked calmly, trying to get him to see another perspective.

He licked his lips. “Because I really do love you. And you’re the only person I’ve ever been with.”

Carol offered a sad smile. “Billy’s the only person that she’s ever been with, too. And she’s _saying_ she loves him. Just because someone has been with other people before doesn’t mean that they don’t love the person they’re with.”

Tommy scoffed. “Yeah, but it’s different with girls. They get attached after sex, Carol. Billy fucking knows that.” He repeated, angrier, “He lied right to my face. I _told_ him: not with Jackie.” He sucked his tongue against his teeth and made an involuntary suction sound. “Besides, it doesn’t matter if she loves him or not. Does he love _her?”_ Before Carol could say anything in response, Tommy answered his own question. “No, he doesn’t.”

She sighed at his argument. “You told him not to, and he did it anyway. So, what do you suppose that means?”

“It means he’s fuckin’ stupid and he’s a dead man. That’s what it means,” Tommy snapped.

Carol remained quiet and looked down at the floor for several seconds. “She’s wearing his ring. The big silver one he always wears. He gave it to her.”

Tommy crossed his arms and huffed. “I knew it. I _knew_ that there was something going on between them. They acted so weird on Saturday when they were in the same room together.”

“What do you mean?” Carol furrowed her brows and waited for Tommy to explain.

Tommy stared blankly towards the end of his bed. “Just… the way they looked at each other. Like they had a secret. I don’t know how to explain it.”

Carol shrugged her shoulders and arched an eyebrow. “Like, two people in _love_?”

Tommy shifted his eyes to look at her and she smiled. He smiled back haughtily and shook his head. “Don’t do that.”

Carol dropped her jaw. “Do what?”

“Take his side.”

“I’m not taking his side,” Carol assured him and then chuckled. “But I wish you could hear yourself. We don’t know—”

“He made a bet, Carol,” Tommy interrupted her with disdain. “With Doug Nieman, of all people. What else is there to know? He didn’t deny it.”

“I heard him say he didn’t mean to,” Carol tried to reason, pointing out Billy’s impulsivity and, seemingly, his regret and remorse.

Tommy rolled his eyes and licked his lips. “Yeah, they always say they never meant to when they get caught. Neither one of them fucking listened to me. I _told them both—_ ” he repeated their lack of regard to his warnings and speeches early on in their encounters with Billy. 

Again, Carol sighed, recognizing that she was getting nowhere in this conversation. “I don’t want to argue with you,” she closed her eyes and scratched an itch behind her ear. “Right now, your sister is in her room, and her heart is broken. She’s embarrassed, and she’s hurt, and she’s sad. This isn’t about you, or whether or not she or Billy listened to you. It’s about her.” Shaking her head, she blinked a few times and said, “I was really angry, too, at first. But hearing the way she talked, Tommy…” She stopped. “Just go talk to her.”

*****

Tommy looked down at the turkey and cheese sandwich sliced diagonally, placed neatly in the center of the plate. He sighed and stood outside of Jackie’s door. He knocked three times with his knuckles and waited for a response.

“Come in,” her weak voice croaked.

Tommy took in a deep breath and opened her door. Her curtains were drawn and the room was dim. Jackie laid on her side atop of the bedspread, her back facing Tommy. She wiped at her face and then rolled partially on her back to turn and see who was at her door. When she saw it was Tommy, she rolled back onto her side again.

With a low, sad voice, Jackie said, “If you’re here to say _I told you so,_ you don’t need to bother.”

Tommy chewed on the inside of his lip. He wasn’t sure what he was here to say, to be honest. Part of him wanted to ask her what the hell she was thinking and why she didn’t listen to him. That this whole thing could have been avoided. But, she likely already knew that. No amount of scolding or questioning would take back what had happened.

“I’m not here to kick you when you’re down, Jackie,” he took a few steps forward. When she didn’t say anything, he cleared his throat and announced, “I brought you a sandwich. Turkey and cheese with mayo. Your favorite.”

Everything had happened so quickly, he couldn’t remember if Jackie had even gotten a chance to eat her lunch. He tapped his finger against the bottom of the ceramic plate and stared at the back of her head while he waited.

“I’m not hungry,” she mumbled while adjusting her head on the pillow and curling herself into a tighter ball.

Tommy nodded his head and sat the plate on her nightstand. Already resting on the shiny, white surface was the silver ring that belonged to Billy. He licked his teeth and thought about the things Carol had shared with him about Jackie and Billy.

“How, uh,” Tommy crossed his arms but then uncrossed them, realizing that it looked too reprimanding, and settled for placing his hands in the pockets of his blue jeans. “How long have you and Billy, uh… been… seeing each other?”

Jackie took in a shuddering breath. “Just this past weekend.”

He nodded his head. He felt stupid. He should have known. If the bet was to sleep with her by the end of prom night, of course it was recent.

“Did he, um,” Tommy struggled for the words to say, embarrassed to be thinking the things he was thinking and talking about the things they were talking about. “Coerce you?” he winced at the thought.

Jackie wrapped her arms around herself. “No, Tommy,” she sighed, “Billy didn’t _coerce me_ to do anything I didn’t want to do. Okay?” She didn’t seem to be in the mood to talk.

His cheeks flushed, hot and red, at the suggestion that Jackie had wanted to sleep with Billy. Tommy drummed his fingers against his hips from inside his pockets, finding it nearly impossible to stand still. He took another step towards her bed and sat down on the edge. He removed his hands from his pockets and placed them instead on his knees, rubbing up and down to rid his palms of the sweat that was gathering there.

“What happened between you two?” He didn’t want details. He just wanted to understand.

“Apparently nothing that meant anything,” Jackie answered without inflection.

“It obviously meant something to you,” Tommy pointed out. Otherwise she wouldn’t be so upset. “How’d this all happen?”

Jackie huffed. “You _really_ want to know?”

Tommy pressed his lips together and narrowed his eyes. He really didn’t want to hear all the nasty details. He knew enough about how Billy operated to be able to make an educated guess as to how he was able to convince Jackie to sleep with him. “Give me the Cliff’s Notes version.”

Jackie was quiet for a moment but then rolled over to her back and pushed herself up to sit against her headboard. She crossed her legs in front of her and wiped the tears away from her streaked face. She managed to allow herself to look at her brother. He looked at her with a soft expression, softer than he had ever looked at her before.

Jackie started at the beginning, how she and Billy first started exchanging playful winks and smiles that then evolved into flirtatious words and suggestive speech. They did this for months anytime they were alone or out of earshot from others. She explained the dispute that unfolded between her and Billy after he found out she was going to the prom with Doug. How he had been adamant about her being able to do better, that Doug was no good and would try to get into her panties. How Billy had refused to kiss her the first time she tried.

When she finally arrived at the prom night part of her story, she got into more detail. How he came to her defense and rescue when Doug had grabbed her. The way he smiled at her, and how he held her hand and touched her arm. Billy, hearing that she had not even gotten to have one dance at her very first prom, had turned on the radio and offered her his hand. He had held her so sweetly as they swayed beneath the starry night sky. He had confessed his crush on her and admitted to giving up smoking cigarettes because she didn’t like the way they smelled. It was embarrassing, but important to disclose, that Billy had told her she was the first girl he had ever been with more than once.

“Even now, I still believe him,” Jackie said, covering her face and talking into her hands. She took a breath. “The way he looked at me, and the things he said… they were intimate, personal things. Things that I don’t think he ever told another living soul.”

Tommy was surprised to hear that it was Jackie who had suggested sex, not Billy. That he even gave her an out by saying she deserved better than doing it in the backseat. Tommy had to look away from her in embarrassment when Jackie told him that Billy checked with her to ask if she was ready before he did anything— knowing that she was a virgin— and that he asked permission for everything before he did it. She used the words “gentle” and “sweet” and “romantic” to describe her experience with him. She confessed to Tommy that they had both shared their thoughts of being together for months, but they had refrained from doing anything about it because of Tommy’s speech to each about the other. She left out the part about getting a hotel together. She also kept the janitor’s closet incident to herself.

“He told me he was going to marry me one day,” Jackie sadly recalled, frowning and struggling to keep herself from crying again. “I don’t understand why he would do this.”

Tommy wanted to say, _‘Guys will tell you anything to get into your pants,’_ but he bit his tongue instead. He didn’t know what to make of Jackie’s story. He could see why Carol was somewhat argumentative with him earlier. It was a confusing story, one of lust and love, but he still didn’t know just where on the spectrum Billy fell within each of those things.

“Please don’t look at me like that,” Jackie crossed her arms and looked away towards her window.

Confused, Tommy flipped his hands over in a questioning manner. “Like what?”

“Like I’m delicate,” Jackie closed her eyes and brought herself to return her gaze to Tommy. “You want to say something. Just say it.”

Billy had been his best friend, but he was infuriated at what he had done to Jackie. Not just about the sex, but about the heartache and embarrassment, too. He was a fun friend and a decent guy, albeit an asshole at times, but he had always been reliable. It was no secret that Billy left a trail of broken hearts everywhere he went. Something that confused, Tommy, though, was why Billy would make such a bet. Even with all his escapades, Billy wasn’t really a _show-and-tell_ kind of guy. And _Jackie,_ of all people… to risk their friendship.

When he thought back on it, any time he heard about Billy being with some girl, it was locker room talk or through the grapevine. It never came from Billy directly. He didn’t brag about any of his conquests, so what was the point in making a bet that no one else was to know about? Bragging rights for a guy who doesn’t brag?

The only thing he could think of was Billy’s undying hatred for Doug Nieman. How Billy had slept with the captain of the cheerleading squad when Doug and his buddies were trying to bed her for weeks. Then _bam,_ California Adonis comes to town and beds her within his first month in Hawkins. He shook his head of the thought that Billy made this a competition with Doug just for the sake of once again beating Doug, at Jackie’s expense. It didn’t seem like him at all, but he couldn’t think of any other reason.

*****

Billy sat slouched in a chair outside the principal’s office, nervously bouncing his leg and chewing on his thumbnail as he heard the muffled voices of his father and the principal speaking. He looked at the clock. It was just after two o’clock. His father had to leave work early for this.

Despite the fact that he knew he was in for it when he left the watchful eyes of the school faculty, his main focus was on Jackie. He had seen the exact moment her heart had torn in two. He couldn’t blame her. There was no one to be angry with except for himself.

He shouldn’t have chickened out. He should have told her that day in the car coming back from the movies. And if not then, he should have told her when Doug threatened him with the information about him and Carol. Billy shook his head as he internally argued with himself about all the opportunities he had to right this wrong, and how he had passed up every single chance.

The hallway door opened, and Max walked in. She looked at him with a cautious expression as she slowly stepped past him and sat down in the chair next to him. She plopped her bookbag down on the floor and sat facing forward for a moment.

After an uncomfortable silence, Max glanced sideways at her stepbrother. “What happened?” she asked shyly.

Billy shook his head _no_ just as the principal’s office door opened. Neil stepped into the doorway and licked his teeth. His jaw twitched with tension as he again looked at his son. He looked at Max, who had just joined after being called to the office due to her ride leaving earlier than usual.

Neil nodded his head towards the exit. “Straight home,” his gruff voice directed.

Max looked up at him with wide eyes. Billy quickly picked up his leather satchel and stood from his chair. Without a word or a second glance, he headed toward the door. Neil looked at Max and nonverbally directed for her to follow Billy. She shot up from her seat with her bookbag strap in hand and scurried after him wordlessly.

Billy hadn’t waited for her to catch up. His strides were long and swift as he silently paced to the parking lot where the Camaro was. It was a full lot. He could feel eyes on him from the classrooms at the front of the building— students watching as he walked his suspended ass with shame to his car with his father following not too behind him.

Once in the car, he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He gripped the steering wheel tightly and rubbed his fingers around the hot material, eliciting a low squeak from the movement. Max pulled on the door handle, but it was locked. He leaned over and unlocked the door, but still didn’t speak.

She sat down and stared straight ahead as Neil was coming out of the main doors. “What happened?” she quickly asked and looked at Billy impatiently.

Billy shook his head with tears threatening to fall from his eyes. He clenched his jaw so tight that he thought he heard his teeth crack. Despite gripping the steering wheel, his nails dug into his hands with how tightly his fingers were wrapped around the wheel.

“I fucked up,” Billy mumbled and shook his head. “With Jackie, I fucked up.” His rubbed his thumb and middle fingers against his eyes to brush away any tears before Max could see them drip.

“What?” Max narrowed her eyes. “How? What happened?”

Neil glanced at Billy as he walked past the car and continued on to his own truck parked several rows back. Billy tried to avoid making eye contact, shifting his shoulder upward as a means to protect his face. Even though there was a window between them, he knew that look meant trouble.

This trip was only the third time he had driven the speed limit in Hawkins. He was in no rush to get home. Besides, he was driving behind his father. As they made their journey to Cherry Lane, Billy told Max the condensed version of what happened. How he had accidentally found himself in a bet that he didn’t mean to be in. How he had liked Jackie for a while, and when he rescued her on prom night, how something just clicked between them. He didn’t go into the details of sleeping with her. Max could connect the dots on her own. It all led up to this moment now, where he was suspended for the next three days and would not be permitted to walk at graduation with the rest of his classmates.

Max listened and refrained from making any judgmental comments. She had never seen this side of Billy, so passionate when he spoke. Full of emotion other than anger. “So, what are you going to do?”

Billy slowed to a stop behind his father’s pickup truck at a stop sign. As Neil turned left to drive towards their home, Billy slowly inched forward and stopped. He looked to the left and watched Neil’s truck leisurely drive down the road. He looked to the right. The way to Jackie’s house. Again, he looked left, trying to mentally assess the pros and cons list of making that turn. His fingers rubbed against the steering wheel in an attempt to ease some of his anxiety.

“Billy,” Max said, cocking her head to the side. He looked at her, and she shook her head. “No. Billy, he said straight home. He will freak out if you’re not right behind him.”

Billy swallowed hard. He knew she was right. Max usually was. He turned to look ahead again. He tapped his fingers on the wheel, drumming an irregular and unrecognizable beat. He was lost in his thoughts until another car behind him blew their horn to bring him back to his awareness.

Billy stepped on the gas suddenly. Max slapped one hand against the dashboard and the other against the window to remain in her seat. The car jerked and tires squealed as he made the right-hand turn to go to Jackie’s house.

“Billy!” Max yelled, turning around to look at the intersection, as if Neil would be there to chase them down. “What the hell are you doing? Are you crazy?!”

“I don’t know!” he yelled back.

“You need to give her space,” Max lectured while staring at his tense face. “She obviously didn’t want to be near you today. I don’t blame her.”

Billy shook his head in disagreement and anger at Max. “I need to explain to her what happened. You weren’t there!”

Max shook her head and slouched in her seat, arms crossed in front of her chest. “This is a mistake, Billy. This isn’t going to go well.”

It was a short ride to Jackie’s house from that intersection. They didn’t speak to each other for the rest of the trip. Max had already said her part, and there was nothing that she could say or do to convince Billy to do otherwise. At this point, she was merely just along for the ride.

He pulled into the Hagans’ driveway and turned off the ignition but left the keys. “Wait here,” Billy ordered Max as he opened the door and stepped out of the car.

He walked intently to the front door and didn’t hesitate to knock loudly with his fist. Hardly any time had gone by before he started knocking again, desperately hoping that Jackie would answer the door. The way she was _always_ the one to answer the door when she heard his car pull up to the house.

The door flew open and he was instead met by Tommy. His face twisted into a scowl as soon as he saw Billy. Blood rushed to his face in anger.

“You’ve got some nerve showing your face here, asshole,” Tommy stepped forward and pushed Billy’s chest so that he would back away from the door.

Billy held his hands up in surrender as he took a step back. “I need to talk to her,” Billy calmly stated.

“I don’t give a shit what you need,” Tommy pushed Billy’s chest again, forcing him to back up off the porch and now step into the grass in their front yard. “You don’t get to do what you did and come here expecting to get what you want. Haven’t you already done enough damage?”

Carol stepped into the doorway and watched the exchange, uncertain of what she should do, if anything. She looked at the redheaded passenger in the Camaro. Carol and Max exchanged looks that seemed to communicate the same thing.

Tommy pushed Billy’s chest again, this time even harder. Billy grunted and pursed his lips, starting to become angry at his friend’s lack of willingness to listen to him.

“I don’t want to fight you, man,” Billy snapped, bringing his arms up to block the next push that Tommy attempted. “I just want to explain—”

Tommy punched Billy in the jaw. It wasn’t hard enough to knock him off his feet, but it made him stumble and stagger of to the side. Billy brought his hand up to his face and stood back up.

“Get the fuck out of here!” Tommy shouted, standing back and allowing Billy the opportunity to leave.

Billy scrunched his nose and stood tall, tilting his neck to the side to crack it. “Not until I can talk with Jackie to explain what happened.”

Tommy chortled and shook his head at Billy. “You know what? Your old man was right. You _are_ a stupid piece of shit.”

Billy’s face twisted with fury. He lunged at Tommy and knocked him to the ground, climbing on top of him to pin him down. He grabbed a fistful of Tommy’s collar and brought his fist back in preparation to throw a punch.

The girls yelled. Carol stood on the porch and screamed at Billy to get off of Tommy. Max, having slightly more sway than Carol, actually got out of the car and ran over to her stepbrother.

“Billy! Don’t!” she grabbed the arm that was hovering in the air, waiting to hammer down on Tommy’s freckled face.

“Billy!” his father’s voice called out harshly from behind him.

During the commotion, no one had noticed Neil’s pickup truck pull up to the curb. He had gotten out of his truck and ran across the yard. Max stepped aside, and Neil threw his arm around Billy’s throat, gripping the shoulder of his shirt with his other hand as he pulled him backwards off Tommy. Billy initially struggled against his father but stopped once he realized who was holding on to him.

Tommy scrambled to get to his feet, and Carol arrived at his side to help him up. He was unharmed, but still worked up and angry. Billy might not have wanted to fight, but Tommy sure did.

“You stay the hell away from her, Billy! You hear me, you son-of-a-bitch?” Tommy pointed at him, ignoring Carol’s tugging and pulling at his arm as she tried to lead him inside the house.

Billy remained silent as he grinded his teeth together to keep his words in his mouth. He looked up at the window above the garage that he knew to be Jackie’s room. He saw her standing there, holding the curtain back and watching the scuffle below.

“Jackie!” Billy called out to her with widened eyes and desperation in his voice. “Jackie, please, let me explain!”

Jackie sadly shook her head and closed her curtains again, walking away from the window to lay back down in bed. Billy slumped against his father. Neil looked up at the window with confusion and then back to his son. All he knew was that Billy had gotten into a fight at school with another boy over Jackie. He didn’t understand what about. Neil knew he was good friends with Tommy, and he only could guess what might have happened based on the things that Tommy was saying.

Neil released Billy and wiped his hand over his mustache. “Go home, Billy,” he gruffly commanded again. “We have a lot to talk about.”


	14. I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy tries to make things right.

Billy walked into his bedroom hastily with his father hot on his heels. Billy sat himself down on his bed and looked at the floor. Neil stood on the opposite side of the room and placed his hands on his hips. Max stood just outside of the bedroom door, thankful that neither of them had closed it so she could listen.

“It’s been a while since you’ve outright disobeyed me, boy,” Neil spoke with an agitated tone. He stared at Billy with a fire in his eyes that was just barely contained.

Billy didn’t look up. He simply just mumbled, “I know. I’m sorry, sir.”

It was true. For the last month or so, Billy had been on his best behavior. He didn’t want anything to come in between him and Jackie, or his ability to be able to freely leave the house to see her whenever he wanted. He kept to himself at home and stayed out of Neil’s way.

Neil shook his head and began to pace back and forth in front of Billy. “What the hell is the matter with you? You have one week left of school, and you go and get yourself suspended and barred from walking at graduation.”

The school couldn’t do anything about the prom night incident because they had no proof. Just rumors that Billy had been the assailant. But now, with a roomful of Hawkins High students as witnesses to the beating he had given Doug at lunch today, they had all the evidence they needed to take action. He had thrown the first punch. The only punches, really. Doug never had a chance to fight back with how quickly and viciously Billy had lashed out at him.

Billy sighed and finally raised his head. “I don’t care about walking across the stage at graduation.”

He really didn’t care. While he liked being the center of attention once upon a time, things were different now with Jackie. All he cared about was her. There were more important things than graduation.

“That’s your problem, Billy. You don’t care. You don’t _think,”_ Neil touched his finger to his own forehead for added flair.

Not in the mood to argue, Billy just agreed without much inflection. “I know, Dad.”

“Well then what is it, Billy?” Neil threw his hands in the air with exasperation.

Max listened from the doorway. She picked at her thumbnail nervously and bit her lip, wondering if he was going to mention anything about Jackie. She thought it might pacify Neil to know that Billy only had the best intentions.

When Billy didn’t say anything, Max timidly spoke up from the doorway. “He was defending Jackie.”

Billy gave her a warning look to shut her mouth. She looked at him apologetically but felt it was the right move to make. Neil turned and looked at her questioningly before returning his gaze back to Billy. Billy licked his lips and then bit down, avoiding eye contact with Neil.

“Is that true?” Neil asked in a calmer manner.

Out of all of Max’s friends, Jackie was definitely Neil’s favorite. Perhaps it was because Max didn’t have many friends who were girls. Then again, Jackie was just loveable. She was fun, strong-willed, spirited, but also respectful and responsible. Not to mention, cute as a button. Neil couldn’t have hoped for a better friendship for Max when they first moved to Hawkins.

“Yes, sir,” Billy shortly responded, not wanting to provide the full details of why he and Nieman got into the fight. He would never hear the end of it. He had been called stupid way too many times in his life. He didn’t need to be constantly reminded.

Neil narrowed his eyes with skepticism. “If that’s the case, why were you and Tommy fighting?” He knew Tommy was Billy’s best friend. It just didn’t make sense that they would be fighting if Billy had done something in Jackie’s defense. “And why did he tell you to stay away from her?”

Billy sighed and raised his eyes to look at his father. Neil stared at him for a moment but then scoffed. Without saying a word, Neil knew exactly what that look meant. Billy looked away with a hint of shame on his face. His cheeks flushed. Neil knew that his son had a very active sex life. For some reason, though, him knowing that he had sex with Jackie was something incredibly personal and intimate that made Billy uncomfortable.

“Oh no,” Neil chuckled with derision. “You’ve got to be shitting me,” Neil shifted his feet and looked up at the ceiling as if to ask God, _‘Why?’_ He clicked his tongue several times. “You and Jackie,” he pondered for a moment at the pairing. “And her brother found out. Is that it?” Neil shook his head and said, “Max, go to your room.” She started to argue but he repeated himself, and she begrudgingly complied while stomping her feet through the house.

Once it was just the two men in the room, Billy looked at his father again. The look on Neil’s face was part disapproval and part satirical. The corners of his mouth twitched into a smirk as he chewed on the inside of his cheek.

“Look, it’s not what you think it is, okay?” Billy said with a bit more attitude, knowing how his father had judged him in the past for the amount of girls he had been caught with.

Neil had always referred to them as whores, because no self-respecting girl would ever give it up on the first date. And if they had any respect for themselves whatsoever, they would choose someone better than Billy. Lord help Neil if he _ever_ referred to Jackie as a whore. The mere thought of it made Billy’s blood boil and hair stand on end. He had never raised a fist to his father, but he thought that he just might if he ever said anything nasty about Jackie.

“No? Then what is it?” Neil sarcastically asked. Billy hesitated— words caught in his throat—, and Neil shook his head with disappointment. “She’s a good kid. Way too good for you, if you ask me,” he pointed his finger at Billy and then started to walk away.

Unable to stop himself, Billy mumbled under his breath, “Well, I didn’t ask you.”

Neil’s ears perked up at the sound of backtalk. He turned around and glowered at Billy. His mustache twitched when his lip pursed and nose wrinkled. With narrowed eyes, his voice lowered and he coolly challenged, “What did you say?”

Billy felt his pulse hammering away in his neck. The last time he had talked back to his father, he ended up with bruises all over his back from being shoved up against the wooden bookshelf along his wall. An internal fight broke out in his head with one voice urging him to repeat himself and the other begging him to shut up and sit still.

Billy took in a deep breath with closed eyes. When he opened his eyes again, he stood from his bed and looked at his father. Standing tall, he calmly repeated, “I didn’t ask you.”

Neil cocked an eyebrow and his lips parted as his jaw dropped open in slight surprise. A short puff of air escaped his lungs in something resembling a laugh. In a flash, his hands were on Billy, fisting into his shirt and pushing him backwards until he slammed against the closet door with a grunt. Billy was glad, at least, it wasn’t the uncomfortable edges of his shelving unit.

Before Neil could interject further with words or fists, Billy yelled out, “I love her!”

His own eyes widened at the revelation. _Love? Yes. Love. Love! I love her!_ His heart raced at the thought of it and the fact that he had said it out loud. Not just out loud, but in front of his father. _To_ his father. His only regret was that it wasn’t Jackie standing in front of him the first time he said it. Neil paused and eyed Billy with doubt.

“I love her,” Billy repeated, more composed. His eyes darted back and forth between his father’s.

Neil stared at his son, not exactly sure what to say. Billy’s eyes were wet and there was a softness to him that Neil hadn’t seen since he was little. He was always crying about something or other when he was a kid. Neil had thought that regular whoopings would toughen him up. It seemed to work for a while. Now, he was staring face to face again with that ten-year-old boy again.

“Love,” Neil huffed. He looked over at the makeshift vanity mirror with a half dozen bottles of cologne and haircare products scattered about. “Are you capable of loving anyone other than yourself? Huh? Do you even know what that is like?” Neil gritted his teeth.

Billy glared at his father. Despite the fact that he was an asshole, and Billy knew he was an asshole, the words still stung to hear them. To be viewed as something inhuman, incapable of loving another living thing. Unlovable, himself— at least, that’s what he had been convinced for years after his mom left.

“I know I’ll never put my hands on her the way you put your hands on Mom,” Billy stood tall and stuck out his chin, daring Neil to strike it. He mentally braced himself for the iron fist that he had experienced time and time again against his ribs.

Neil sucked in his cheeks and stared at Billy with a tightening grip on his shirt. The topic of his mother was always a sour subject. Neil didn’t care to talk about her. It was bad enough that he had to look at the offspring that resembled her so much, with a fiery spirit just like hers.

Billy continued, “I’d do anything for her. That’s why I don’t care about walking at graduation or getting suspended for beating the shit out of Doug Nieman. Asshole had it coming with how he ran his mouth about her the last several weeks. I’d do it all over again.” Billy tensed his jaw and finished with, “Sir.”

After a few quiet seconds, Neil smirked and let out an amused chuckle. He released Billy’s shirt and gently patted his large hand against the side of Billy’s face and neck. “Looks like I didn’t raise a pussy after all.”

Billy looked at Neil in shock. His father had never said a kind thing to him in his life. And this was almost a compliment. Granted, a back-handed compliment. He waited for a punch or a shove that never came. Instead, Neil stepped back and started to turn around to leave the room.

He stopped in the doorway and turned his head to look at Billy. “Whatever you did to upset her,” Neil said, remembering the look on Jackie’s face as she closed the curtains and ignored Billy’s pleas to let him explain, “fix it.”

 _I’m trying._ Billy realized his jaw was hanging open. He closed his mouth and offered a curt nod. “Yes, sir.”

 _Whiplash._ That was the best way Billy could think to describe his father. Changes so fast, it gives you whiplash. He hadn’t been expecting that reaction from him.

It wasn’t long after the interaction with his father that Billy decided to try to call Jackie. He silently cursed his father and stepmother for not having a cordless phone in the house. The only phone they had was a corded monstrosity in the dining room. No privacy whatsoever. Billy dialed the number to Jackie’s private line and leaned against the wall.

It rang three times before a groggy sounding, “Hello?” answered.

Billy pushed himself away from the wall and hurriedly said, “Jackie. Jackie, please don’t hang up.”

“Billy?” Jackie asked flatly.

It was so nice to hear her voice, but the lack of excitement at knowing it was him sent a dull ache straight to the center of his chest. It wasn’t the way he liked hearing his name come from her mouth. He frowned, knowing that he caused this.

“I know you’re upset but please, let me—” _Click._ The line went dead. Billy sighed, “Explain.” Disappointed, he hung up the phone and leaned back against the wall.

He thought for a moment before calling out, “Max!” He quickly walked to her room and leaned against the doorframe. She sat on her bed doing homework. “Max, I need a favor.” With her head still lowered, she only moved her eyes to look up at him. “I need you to get Jackie on the phone.”

Max lifted her head and rolled her eyes. “Billy,” she sighed while rubbing the side of her face.

She had already told him to give Jackie space. That meant physically as well as by phone. Billy had spent too much time learning what girls liked and needed sexually that he hardly invested in what they need emotionally.

“Please, Max. You’re her best friend. She’ll listen to you.” Billy clasped his hands in front of him as if in prayer and silently mouthed _please_ to her again.

Max had never seen him so desperate. It was a rare occasion, indeed, that he needed _her_ help. With a grunt, she pushed herself off the bed. As she walked past him, she mumbled, “This is so stupid.”

She walked directly to the phone and dialed Jackie’s number. On the second ring, Jackie picked up.

“Tell her—” Billy started, but was cut off by Max’s hand and an annoyed look.

“Please stop calling me,” Jackie’s sad voice said without a greeting.

“Hey, it’s Max,” Max quickly said in as friendly of a tone as possible to try to keep Jackie on the line.

Jackie shifted the phone to her other ear. “Max?” She sighed after a second of realization. “Did Billy put you up to this?”

Max looked at Billy, who stepped closer to try to hear what was going on. Max shoved his shoulder away to give her space. “Uh huh,” Max acknowledged, trying not to say too much that would lead Billy to know what Jackie was saying.

“I’m sorry, Max,” Jackie grumbled. “Nothing against you, but I really don’t feel like talking right now.”

Billy whispered, ”What is she saying?”

Max rolled her shoulder along the wall and turned away from Billy to try to get some privacy. She tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder against the wall. “When do you think you might be up for it?”

Jackie shook her head and wiped a tear from her eye. “I don’t know.”

“That’s fair enough,” Max acknowledged Jackie’s uncertainty. Max had never really had her heart broken. She wasn’t exactly sure what the timeframe would be for healing. “Maybe we can talk at lunch tomorrow? If it’s nice out, we can go sit in the quad? Billy’s suspended, so you won’t have to worry about seeing him or anything.”

Billy shot Max a glare, which she ignored. If he wanted her to keep Jackie on the phone, she was going to have to agree with Jackie that Billy was, at the very least, a stupid boy with whom contact was not desired right now.

“I don’t think I’m going to go to school tomorrow, Max. I don’t think I can stand to have people look at me and know what happened.” Jackie frowned at the thought of everyone’s eyes on her as she walked down the hallway. Of seeing people lean into each other and whisper _that’s her_ while gossiping about the little lover’s spat between her and Billy in the cafeteria.

“Okay.” Max tried to defuse the situation with humor. “At least we have our history project done, right?” she smiled and chuckled.

Jackie quirked a faint, sad smile and said, “Yeah. I’ll be back by Friday to help present it. I just need…” she sighed again and rubbed her face, holding her head because of the growing headache that all her crying had caused. “I don’t know what I need.”

Max shrugged and offered, “Sounds like you need some time to think.”

“Yeah,” Jackie agreed. “I just need to be alone right now, I think.”

Max was quiet. She didn’t know what else to say. She looked at Billy, who was looking at her impatiently, holding out his hands as if to ask _what is going on?_ Max just shook her head _no_ and gave him a look that begged him to please stop and just be quiet. He sighed and ran his hand through his curls, pacing the dining room floor once more.

“I’m gonna go,” Jackie announced after an uncomfortable silence. “I’m sorry, Max.”

“Yeah, me too,” Max quietly stated. “Can I call you tomorrow?”

“Yeah. Maybe then I’ll be up for talking.”

“Okay. Talk to you soon.” When Max heard the other end of the line _click_ , she hung up the phone.

Billy stopped pacing and looked at her. He threw his hands up in the air. “What was that?” he spoke with frustration. Nothing of what he wanted to say had been said. He didn’t even have a chance.

Max shook her head. “She doesn’t want to talk right now, Billy. Not even to me.” She pushed herself away from the wall and past Billy, returning to her bedroom to finish her homework. “Oh, by the way,” Max stopped in her doorway, placing her hand on the frame and leaning back to look at Billy. “She’s staying home from school tomorrow.” Billy looked at her. “Do with that information what you will.”

*****

Billy’s fingers trembled as they threaded the buttons of his shirt through their corresponding slits. He looked at himself in the mirror as he uncharacteristically buttoned the shirt all the way up to the top except for the button at the collar. He smoothed the front of the solid, black shirt down and examined himself. It didn’t look like him. He felt constricted and unnatural. He grunted with a sigh and undid two of the buttons so that the shirt looked more like a V-neck. He examined himself again and gave a single nod of approval now that it looked more like his style.

He shook his bottle of Aqua Net and spritzed his hair several times, allowing the springy curl at his forehead to fall forward above his left eye. Next, he dabbed some of his Paco Rabonne cologne onto his wrists. He dabbed some cologne onto his fingers and automatically reached for his waistband before realizing how much of an asshole habit it was.

“Shit,” he whispered, realizing what he was about to do.

He thought for a second of what to do with the cologne on his fingers and looked around his room as if he could rub it off on something. He settled for applying it behind his ears on the pulse point of his neck. He then wiped his hands against the legs of his jeans.

It was the first time in nearly two weeks that he would have killed for a cigarette. His nerves felt like they were fried, and he could hardly stand still. He fumbled with a stick of spearmint gum and quickly folded it into his mouth. He chewed a few loud smacks as he looked in the mirror at himself one more time.

“Jackie, I know you think I’m an asshole, but,” he practiced as he again adjusted his shirt by unbuttoning the cuffs at his wrist and rolling the sleeve up to his forearms. He sighed, realizing that that probably wasn’t the best opening line. “No, not that,” he chastised himself out loud. “Don’t tell her what she thinks, idiot.”

He pushed his tongue through the gum and bit down against the tiny bubbles he created. Tiny snaps and crackles filled the silence as he thought about what to say. He decided to practice again.

“Jackie,” he said confidently before pausing and staring at himself, feeling stupid for not knowing what else to say. He grunted with frustration and walked away from his mirror, unable to bear looking at himself for one second longer.

As he tucked the hem of his shirt into his tight jeans, he mumbled to himself. He was thankful that everyone else was already gone this morning because he felt certain that he looked like a madman. Never in his life had he felt so frazzled. Billy Hargrove didn’t get that way over girls.

But, this wasn’t just any girl. This was Jackie. _His_ girl. The girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. The only person in the world who took his breath away, made his heart skip a beat, and brought to life the butterflies nestled deep within his stomach. The only person with whom he felt like he could truly be himself. The first person since his Mom that he heard say, _‘I love you,’_ and actually meant it.

He smiled and walked back to the mirror quickly. He looked up at himself and said, “Jackie. I’m in love with you. I knew it from the first moment I saw you. I’m sorry that I caused you to doubt that, but I want to be a better man because of you. And I will spend the rest of my life proving that to you, if you’ll allow me. ” Billy’s heart was racing. He smiled at the thought of them spending the rest of their lives together. “Yeah,” he offered himself a nod of approval before grabbing his car keys from his dresser and heading out the door.

Before going to Jackie’s house, Billy drove into town and stopped at the local florist’s shop. He purchased a bouquet of pink and white lilies— Jackie’s favorite. The florist cut the stems and tied them together with a thick, pink and white polka-dotted ribbon. It in no way made up for what happened, but he hoped it would at least show Jackie his thoughtfulness and attention to detail.

Billy spit his gum out the window as he pulled onto the street at the beginning of the Loch Nora housing plan. The entire drive to her house, he had been pep-talking himself, repeating the words exactly the way he wanted to say them. He had never felt so nervous in his life.

He parked in the driveway and sat looking at the front door for a minute, partly hoping that Jackie would come downstairs and open the door at hearing his car arrive. After turning off the ignition and removing his keys, he gently retrieved the bundle of flowers from where they rested on his passenger seat and stepped out of the car.

“I’m sorry. I love you,” Billy murmured as he saw the distance between himself and the door become closer and closer. “I’m sorry. I love you,” he repeated.

He made a fist and held it up in front of the door. He licked his dry lips and swallowed his fear of rejection. Loudly, he knocked five times and then stepped back. About thirty seconds later, and after no response, he knocked again, even louder.

When no one answered, he sighed and turned around, his back now facing the door. He thought for a moment of what he should do. Sit and stay on the porch for a few hours in hopes that Jackie will eventually change her mind and come talk to him? Leave and come back later? Go home and try to call her again?

The sound of the lock clicking on the other side caught his attention. The door opened and he turned around, eyes bright with hope. A small smile spread across his lips in anticipation of seeing her beautiful face.

“What the hell do you want?” asked Tommy, placing his hands on his hips.


	15. We Belong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not permitted to talk with Jackie, Billy decides to tell the whole truth to Tommy, despite Carol also being present.

“Why are you here?” Billy asked with perplexity. It was mid-morning. He should have been in school. Max didn’t say anything about Tommy being home today. This was certainly an unwanted surprise.

Tommy crossed his arms and shrugged his shoulders. “This is my house.”

“You know what I mean,” Billy said calmly. “Why are you here right now?”

“Why are _you?”_ Tommy asked coldly.

He thought he had made himself clear yesterday when he had told Billy to stay away from Jackie. This was exactly the reason he stayed home today. He knew that Billy would try to be sly and do something like this. Plus, he wanted to make sure Jackie was okay. She hadn’t come out of her room all night.

Billy held up his hands to show that he came in peace. Tommy glanced at the neatly tied bouquet in Billy’s right hand and then looked at his face again. Billy wore a soft expression, desperate for someone to give him a chance to explain. To be able to right this wrong and set the record straight.

“I just want to talk to Jackie. I want to explain to her what happened. This is all just a huge misunderstanding.” Billy spoke evenly and calmly, knowing that if he showed too much attitude and aggression that Tommy would probably slam the door in his face.

Tommy was irritated. He hated to repeat himself, but sometimes with Billy, one had to be a broken record. He was so bullheaded. “Yeah, well, she doesn’t want to talk to you.”

He stepped back and started to close the door. Billy hurriedly stepped forward and placed his free hand against the cool, metal door, stopping it about a foot before it could close. Tommy looked at Billy’s pleading eyes.

Jackie came out of her room, having heard Billy’s Camaro pull into the driveway below her bedroom window. She stopped at the top of the stairs and leaned against the wall out of sight from everyone so that she could listen. She nervously played with her own fingers as she eavesdropped on the exchange downstairs.

Billy licked his lips, “Then let me talk to you. You heard Nieman’s side, now hear mine.” Tommy sighed and looked off to the side, debating internally on what he should do. “Please.”

Tommy licked his teeth and tensed his jaw. He had never seen Billy so desperate. There probably wasn’t much he could say to make anyone feel any better about the situation. But, Jackie seemed to be so confused as to why Billy would do what he did. Perhaps Billy could at least shed some light on that matter.

Tommy again stepped back and opened the door wider. “Ten minutes. When I tell you to leave, you leave.”

Billy started to take a step forward, but Tommy didn’t move. His arm, still on the door knob, was effectively blocking the entrance. When their eyes met again, Tommy raised his eyebrows, waiting for a response before he would allow Billy to enter.

“Okay,” Billy quickly agreed.

Tommy dropped his arm from the door then stepped aside and allowed Billy to enter the house. Billy stepped inside and cautiously looked around. He saw Carol sitting on the couch in the living room, flipping through a magazine. His stomach churned at the reminder of another story that needed to be told. He hated that he hadn’t had the chance to talk it over with Carol beforehand.

“Uh, actually,” Billy swallowed the lump in his throat. There were two things that needed to be confessed today. He knew someone was going to be upset, but he felt like it was the right thing to do. Wipe the slate clean. His heart beat in double-time as he thought of the secret that Nieman had reminded him of that day last week in the boy’s restroom. “Carol, can I talk to you first?”

She looked up at him and shrugged. “Why?”

Billy felt his palms start to sweat. _If I wanted to say why in front of Tommy, I wouldn’t have asked to speak with you in private._ “Because part of this story involves you, and I want to talk with you about it first.”

Carol popped her gum and closed the magazine. “Whatever you need to say to me, Billy,” Caroline stood from the couch and walked towards the foyer where Billy stood, “you can say it in front of Tommy.”

Billy’s eyebrows furrowed. Perhaps she didn’t realize the bombshell he was about to drop on Tommy. He tried again to get her to comply to his request. Dropping a subtle hint of what he wanted to discuss, he raised his eyebrows and shifted his eyes as he spoke, trying to get her to understand the need for them to speak in privacy.

“It’s about Tina’s Halloween party last year,” he said while staring at her face.

Carol narrowed her eyes and stopped smacking her gum. Her jaw hung open slightly before she started chewing again. “What does that have to do with anything?” she shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.

“Just start talking, man. Your ten minutes have started. Tick tock,” Tommy walked over beside Carol and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Tommy did his best to puff out his chest to appear big and tough. He might have gotten a sucker punch in yesterday, but Billy knew he could easily defeat him in a fight. But, he didn’t want that. Tommy was his friend. His _best_ friend. Really, his only _true_ friend, aside from Jackie. Billy looked at Carol one more time, hoping that she would change her mind.

She looked back at him and cocked her head to the side. “We’re waiting.”

Billy licked his bottom lip and then dragged his teeth across it. He widened his eyes as he said in a sing-song voice, “Okaaaaay.”

He rubbed at the back of his neck with his free hand, feeling his body tense at the idea of telling Tommy everything. He just knew that a screaming match was coming or that fists would fly. Even if Tommy accepted the events that led to this “bet” about Jackie, there was no way Tommy would be okay with the fact that Billy had slept with his girlfriend and kept it a secret for the last seven months.

Billy cleared his throat. It suddenly felt dry and hoarse. “So, a few weeks ago, I overheard Nieman talking about taking Jackie to prom. I thought it was weird because he doesn’t really know her. And I talked with Jackie about it, and she didn’t seem to be too concerned about it, but I just didn’t like it. I didn’t trust him. And for a good reason.”

“One day in class he and his buddy were talking about a bet. On prom night.” Billy looked at Tommy and could tell his reaction was anger. “Long story short, they made a wager as to who could sleep with their prom date first. A bunch of guys were involved. Nieman was saying a lot of nasty stuff about Jackie. Stuff that I don’t want to repeat. I turned around and called him a piece of shit. He thought I was pissed off because I wanted in on the bet but couldn’t afford it. I didn’t. I _never_ wanted to be part of this.” Billy shook his head to emphasize that he wanted nothing to do with it.

Billy sighed as he got to the part that landed him in hot water. “I told him Jackie wasn’t going to fu… wasn’t going to sleep with him. He said he bet fifty bucks that she would. And I, in the heat of the moment, blurted out—” he stopped and looked at Tommy, shaking his head nervously and rubbing his free, sweaty hand against his pantleg, “that _I_ stood a better chance at sleeping with Jackie than he did.”

He didn’t allow any time for Tommy to react. Quickly, he explained, “It wasn’t what I meant to say. What I meant was that he didn’t stand a snowball’s chance in Hell because Jackie’s not that kind of girl, but It came out all wrong. You know me and my Goddamned mouth.”

Tommy nodded his head and rubbed his chin with his fingers as he thought for a moment. He tapped his fingers then crossed his arms again. “Alright, if that’s the case, then why didn’t you tell me? Or why didn’t you tell Jackie?”

The question he was dreading. He asked himself the same question last night. Beat himself up over his cowardice. Wondered if he and Jackie would have even happened if he had spoken up.

“I wanted to,” Billy admitted. “But I was a chicken shit. I was so afraid of you or her getting mad at me for what I said. And, I thought, if I kept my mouth shut and just made sure that Nieman didn’t make a move on her, that that would be good enough. That’s why I showed up at the prom that night. I didn’t have bad intentions. I just wanted to protect her, Tommy. That’s all. I swear.”

“But, you didn’t even tell her about the prom night bet that Nieman and his asshole friends had going on. If you really wanted to protect her, you could have prevented this whole thing,” Tommy pointed out with an edge of annoyance on his voice.

Billy nodded his head, knowing that he could have prevented it all. He reminded himself of that in the car on the way to the lake when he had seen how hurt Jackie was.

“Well, that’s the other part of my story that I wanted to talk to you about,” Billy said looking at Carol, hoping that she would know what he was about to say and finally agree to speak with him in private so they could tell Tommy together. “Last week, I pulled Nieman aside and told him that I was going to tell Jackie everything. Not just the stupid shit I said, but about what his plans were for prom night, too. But…” He paused, again looking at Carol.

After some awkward silence, Carol snapped and threw her hands in front of her. “Why do you keep looking at me like that?”

Billy closed his eyes and tilted his head back. He looked at her again, finding it easier to say this part to Carol’s face than to Tommy’s. “Because he told me if I told her, that he would tell Tommy about what we did at Tina’s Halloween party last year.”

Carol scrunched her face in confusion. She smacked her gum between her teeth as she appeared to rack her brain for the answer. “What did we do at Tina’s Halloween party?”

Billy rubbed his face. “Carol,” he said in an exasperated tone, tired of her playing dumb. “You know what we did.”

Carol looked between him and Tommy and shook her head. “No, I don’t. What are you talking about?”

Tommy’s arms remained crossed, but he, too, looked on in a state of confusion. Billy’s eyes shifted between the two of them.

“You know,” Billy started and stopped, hoping she would contribute to telling some of the story. When she didn’t, his voice got a little lower. “You said you wanted to congratulate me in private after I beat the keg stand record. We went into a bedroom and we…” he trailed off, rolling his wrist in place of words, not wanting to say it.

“Um,” Carol said with an attitude. “No.”

Billy started to become frustrated. She was going to take this secret to the grave with her, and it was making things worse for Billy. He stepped forward and stared at Carol.

“Yes,” he said strongly. “I’m ashamed of it, too, but we need to tell him.” Her twisted face remained unmoved. “You were wearing that Playboy Bunny costume. And, apparently, at some point, Nieman walked in and saw us in the act.” Billy sighed and looked at Tommy, talking quickly to get through the confession. “Look, man, we were both drunk, and this was really before we were friends. I’m sorry.”

The corners of Tommy’s mouth lifted into a smirk. Billy narrowed his eyes as Tommy started to chuckle. He switched his gaze to Carol as Tommy’s chuckle turned into a laugh. Carol smiled and shook her head slowly. Tommy placed his hand on Carol’s shoulder to steady himself as he leaned forward and wiped at his eyes from the laughter.

“You _jackass,_ ” Carol reprimanded slowly, rolling her gum around in her mouth and crossing her arms. She popped her hip out to the side. Confidence radiated from her posture.

Billy felt like he was the butt of some joke. “What?” he asked her with irritation. Looking at Tommy again, he raised his voice, “I’m serious, Tommy. Why are you laughing? What’s so funny?”

Tommy’s laughter died down and he sighed with amusement. “Oh, shit,” he choked out with a shake of his head as he chuckled again. “You don’t know.”

Billy shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “Know what?”

“That wasn’t Carol, Billy,” his best friend dropped an unexpected revelation.

“What are you talking about?” Billy groaned. He looked at Carol and pleaded with her, “Tell him, Carol. Please.”

Carol shook her head and further clarified, “It wasn’t me, Billy. You slept with Nicole that night. I wasn’t even dressed as a Playboy Bunny. I was dressed as a cat.” She arched her eyebrows and waited for a response. “She told half the damn school about it. How could you _not_ know?”

“But,” Billy looked down at the floor, feeling like the pieces of this puzzle weren’t fitting together. “Doug. He said he saw us. And I _remember_ you meeting me outside the bathroom upstairs.”

Carol rolled her eyes. “I was _waiting_ to use the bathroom. I saw you come out, said congratulations, then went into the bathroom when Nicole came up and had her hands all over you. It was awkward as hell. Both of you were three sheets to the wind and had your tongues so far down each other’s throats I thought they were gonna come out of your asses.”

It was starting to make sense. He had been drunk and remembered seeing two of her. Maybe he didn’t have double vision after all. Maybe they were dressed similarly. Sexy black costumes with their red fluffy hair. In his inebriated condition, maybe he _thought_ that it was Carol and that he was seeing two of her. He had seen Carol first, it sounded like. It would make sense why he thought it was Carol.

“But Nieman said he saw us,” Billy pointed out.

“Yeah, well,” Carol shrugged her shoulders and waved her hand as she spoke, “maybe Doug was pretty drunk that night, too.”

Tommy chimed in, “Or maybe he lied and told you it was Carol, knowing that you were shitfaced that night, and he figured that that would make you keep your mouth shut so he could get what he wanted on prom night.”

Billy let this information sink in. His heart sped up again. “I could’ve prevented all this,” he said aloud to himself, eyes spacing out as he looked towards the floor.

“Yeah, you could’ve,” Tommy said matter-of-factly. “But, you didn’t. You were too worried about your own ass.”

Tommy walked over to the door and opened it. He stood back against the door and held his hand out, motioning for Billy to leave.

“Time’s up, dude. Thanks for stopping by,” Tommy said shortly, back to the negative attitude and tone he had when Billy first arrived.

Billy hung his head and took two steps towards the door before he stopped. Looking at the pink and white lilies in his hand, he remembered that he loved Jackie. And he was going to tell her one way or another today. He looked back up at Tommy and shook his head.

“No,” Billy stood tall and stated firmly. “I’m not leaving until I get to talk to Jackie. She deserves to hear it from me.”

Tommy rolled his eyes and head back with an audible sigh. “Billy, man. You agreed you’d leave when I told you to leave.” He motioned to the outside again. “You said what you wanted to say, and now it’s time for you to go.”

“I know I agreed to leave, but I _didn’t_ get to say all I wanted to say,” Billy shook his head. “Listen, I know you’re not crazy about me sleeping with your sister. I get it. I have a younger sister, too. I’m sorry we snuck around behind your back with the hotel and everything—”

Jackie grimaced and placed one palm against her cheek. Tommy didn’t know about the hotel. _Well, he does now.”_

“But, fact of the matter is, I’m in love with Jackie, and I’m not leaving until I get to tell her that.”

Carol gasped excitedly and brought one hand to her mouth while the other rested over her heart. Her cheeks rose behind her hand with the smile that she covered up. Jackie dropped her hand from her face and her eyes became big and teary as a smile started to stretch across her lips. Tommy’s eyes narrowed and his lips parted as he mulled over what Billy had just said.

“What the fuck do you mean, _‘hotel’?”_ Tommy stepped forward and clenched a fist at his side.

Carol scoffed and dropped her hands to her sides, slapping her outer thighs harshly in the process. “That _would be_ the only thing you heard out of that.”

Tommy held his hands out at his sides and questioned her, “What?”

Jackie pushed herself away from the wall and stepped out into the open space at the top of the stairs. She saw Billy’s back and noticed that he seemed to put some real effort into his appearance today. His curls seemed to be more intact than she was used to seeing them at school. His shirt was neatly tucked inside the waist of his jeans.

“Did you mean that?” Jackie asked from above, her voice nearly cracking because she was about to cry.

Tommy and Carol snapped their heads to look up at her. Billy quickly turned around and smiled when he saw her. She looked at the flowers in his hands and couldn’t hold back the few tears that fell from her eyes. _He remembered_.

“Every word,” Billy nodded his head and swallowed hard.

Jackie stared at him for a few seconds before she walked down the stairs. She was just two feet away from him when she reached the last step and landed on the first floor. Billy smiled softly at her. He wanted to touch her and kiss her so badly, but he didn’t. He didn’t want to rush her before she was ready.

 _God, she was so beautiful._ Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. Her pink cheeks were glistening with a trail of fresh tears. Her blue eyes were so bright and vibrant that they warmed his heart.

Remembering the flowers in his hand, he looked down at them and held them out to her in offering. “These are for you,” he said in a tone just above a whisper. Looking into her eyes, he sincerely stated, “I am so sorry.”

Jackie’s lips pressed into a closed-mouth smile as she reached forward and took the flowers. She immediately brought them up to her face and took in the sweet aroma.

Licking her lips, she gazed into Billy’s eyes and said, “Say it again.”

Billy smirked at the request. “I’m so sorry, Jackie.”

“No, not that part,” she shook her head and lowered the flowers. “The part where you said you loved me.”

His smile grew wider and his cheeks felt hot. Twice, now, he had said that he loved Jackie to people other than Jackie. _Third time is a charm._ It was time to let her know personally. After all, she had said it so freely the other day to him.

“Jackie,” her name rolled off his tongue like saccharine. “I love you.” She smiled and blushed at hearing those words come from him directly to her. He continued, “I’ve loved you for a long time, but I never told you because I didn’t think I deserved you.”

She recalled that night at Benny’s how he had told her that he didn’t think he deserved to be happy. How he’s only really happy when he is around her. That Tommy, although he had good intentions with his _don’t-mess-with-my-sister_ speech, had created a barrier that prevented them from sharing their true feelings with each other.

Billy Hargrove didn’t really _do_ feelings. He didn’t _date_ girls either. He loved them and left them. But, Jackie felt special that he loved her and came back for her. He made her feel wanted, desired, needed. He shared some intimate details of his life that he had never told anyone before. If the words “I love you” alone didn’t prove it, all of those things certainly seemed to hint at it.

“I love you, too,” she whispered.

Jackie stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Billy’s neck, still holding onto the flowers. She stood on her tiptoes as their chests pressed against each other and she looked up at him with closing eyes for a sweet kiss. Billy wrapped his arms around her waist and dipped his head to meet her. When their lips touched, he felt all those familiar electric zaps in his body that he felt the first time they had kissed.

“Oh my God,” Tommy groaned with feigned disgust as he rolled his eyes and pushed the front door shut. He grabbed Carol by the arm and gently guided her back to the living room to give Jackie and Billy some privacy.

“Why don’t you ever do anything sweet like that for me?” Carol whined as they walked away.

“Because I never fucked up that bad,” Tommy spoke honestly.

Billy smiled against Jackie’s lips as they continued to peck at each other sweetly. She cupped her hand at the back of his neck and played with his curls between her fingers. The scent of his cologne was intoxicating. It had only been a day, but she had missed him terribly.

Billy rested his forehead against hers and said, “Did you hear everything?”

Jackie nodded. “I heard enough.”

“Will you forgive me?” he asked sweetly. It was evident that there was some fear in his voice.

Jackie smiled and twirled his curl around her index finger. “Yes,” she acknowledged.

Billy smirked and pecked her again on the lips. “Good,” he lowered his voice to a whisper, “because I still want to marry you.”


	16. Still Into You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I should be over all the butterflies but I'm into you, I'm into you  
> And even baby our worst nights  
> I'm into you, I'm into you  
> Let 'em wonder how we got this far,  
> 'Cause I don't really need to wonder at all  
> Yeah after all this time  
> I'm still into you
> 
> Paramore - Still Into You (2013)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this is an ending that no one saw coming :)

**April 2013**

Billy walked inside the front door just after four-thirty and was immediately met by Rambo. A 117-pound, four-year-old Rottweiler, with the never-ending energy of a toddler amped up on sugar. Rambo barked once and then lowered his head, rubbing against Billy’s knee with force and wagging his tail like a whip.

“Hey, Rambo,” Billy dropped his lunchbox to the floor and bent at the hips to reach down and scratch the dog behind his ears and along his sides.

Rambo panted excitedly and licked at Billy’s hands, jumping up to bump their noses together and snuck in a lick before Billy had time to push him away. Billy grimaced and wiped his face against the shoulder of his t-shirt. Rambo’s kisses were always so sloppy. He offered another pat to Rambo’s head.

“Love you, too, buddy,” Billy mumbled, reaching to pick his lunch box back off the floor as he headed into the kitchen.

Jackie stood at the kitchen counter with her back to Billy as she worked on chopping carrots into little medallions. Billy stopped and leaned against the entranceway between the living room and kitchen as he observed her for a minute. He smirked as his eyes lowered to her posterior. Her black tights accentuated her curves in all the right places. The flowing teal tunic that she wore barely covered her ass, giving him just enough of a peak of the curves he loved getting his hands on. Licking his lips, he shook his head free of the naughty thought he had to bend her over and take her against the countertop. Maybe once they were home alone he could.

Feeling his eyes on her, Jackie glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “Hi, honey.”

Billy pushed himself away from the wall. “Hey,” he greeted her huskily.

“How was your day?” Jackie continued to chop vegetables.

He walked to the dining table and placed his lunchbox and keys down before making his way over to Jackie and firmly gripping her ass with both hands. She flinched forward with a small gasp, not expecting the sudden roughness of his hands on her backside before he wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed his chest firmly against her back and hooked his chin over her shoulder. His five o’clock shadow scratched against her skin visible from the boat neckline of her shirt.

Billy throatily told her, “I don’t want to talk about the shop right now,” before placing a kiss at the nape of her neck and lightly nipping at her skin with his front teeth.

Jackie stopped what she was doing, holding the knife in place against the cutting board and bringing her free hand to rest over his against her belly. She leaned her head back and rested it against his shoulder. Billy turned and pressed a kiss against her neck just below her ear. Jackie shivered and took in a sharp breath. He smirked against her skin, kissing her again but adding a light swirl from his tongue as he did so. One of Billy’s hands moved from her belly up to her left breast, cupping it gently as he continued to kiss her neck. The other started to slide down over her clothed pelvic area.

“Billy,” Jackie moaned quietly, arching her neck to allow him better access despite the next sentence that came out of her mouth. “Stop. Lily’s home.”

“That hasn’t stopped us before,” Billy breathed against her neck, continuing to kiss her gently so he wouldn’t leave a mark.

Jackie huffed a shushed chuckle. “Yeah, when we were in our bedroom behind a locked door and the kids were all asleep,” she reminded him. “Come on, I’m working on dinner, and your daughter is upstairs.”

“Mommy doesn’t want to play right now?” he smirked against her neck, rubbing his hand up and down against her crotch.

Jackie snickered and scoffed while closing her eyes, “Don’t call me that.”

Squeezing her breast a little firmer and bringing his other hand back up to the waistline of her tights, he allowed his thumb to graze and dip just slightly below the material. “Or what, _Mommy?”_ he emphasized, just to be a little shit.

“I’m not _your_ Mommy,” Jackie smirked as she raised her head away from his shoulder.

“You’re my _everything,”_ Billy rasped, nuzzling the shell of her ear with his nose before placing a kiss against her long hair. Jackie smiled at that.

He slipped his fingers under the waistband of her stretchy tights. Jackie quickly brought her hand to his wrist and gripped tightly, tugging his hand back up.

“Seriously, babe,” she hummed with a smile she couldn’t get rid of. “Not right now. You want to eat dinner, don’t you?”

Billy stopped kissing her and rasped directly in her ear, “I’d rather eat _you_.”

For as hot as his breath was, it sent chills down her spine when she felt it enter her ear. She bit her bottom lip and squeezed her thighs together. Twenty-eight years with this man, and he still made her blush like a virgin. After all this time, he still made her feel like a teenager.

“Maybe later,” she smiled and said louder.

“‘Maybe later’ what?” asked an intruding female voice from behind.

Billy sighed, planted one last kiss against the nape of Jackie’s neck, and removed his hand from Jackie’s breast and waist. Standing up straight and stepping off to the side, he turned around to look at his daughter. A 16-year-old beauty that so much resembled her mother at that age. Loosely curled golden-brown hair, blue eyes as bright as the summer sky, and a dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks. Those Hagan freckles sure were a strong trait. Even Tommy and Carol’s kids were covered in them.

Billy frowned when he registered the outfit she was wearing. A tight Nirvana t-shirt paired with a short, black skirt that clung to her mid-thigh and a pair of black Converse shoes. On top of that, she was wearing a bright red cherry lip gloss that stood out against her pale skin.

“Uh,” Billy crossed his arms and leaned against the counter beside Jackie. Furrowing his brows, he followed with, “What are you wearing?”

Lily looked down at herself and held her hands out questioningly. “Clothes?” she cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Obviously, smartass,” Billy grumbled.

Jackie turned around and looked at the outfit with which Billy had a problem. Jackie’s eyes widened as she turned around completely. “Where did you get that skirt?” Certainly, _she_ would never buy her daughter something so revealing.

Lily rolled her eyes. “Aunt Max bought it for me when we went shopping last week.”

Billy ran a hand through his short hair and looked at Jackie. “I’m gonna kill her,” he warned of his stepsister.

Max didn’t have any girls. Perhaps she didn’t realize the protective nature of a father for his daughter. How a boy’s perception of a girl wearing a short skirt may be a tad bit different than a girl’s perception. How a father would have a heart attack seeing his daughter wear something so short.

“I have a date,” Lily explained with a sigh, as if that made the situation any better.

“A _date_?” Billy asked with surprise. Glancing over at Jackie, he asked her, “Did you know about this?”

Jackie shrugged her shoulders and looked like she was about to say something, but Lily hurriedly intervened and said, “We’re just going to get a bite to eat then we’re going to the movies.”

“Not wearing that _loincloth_ , you’re not,” Billy stated firmly, no humor in his voice whatsoever.

Lily scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Dad,” she whined.

“Lily,” he repeated the same tone. “Go change.”

Lily sighed and whined, “Mom.” She looked at her mother with pleading eyes, trying to convince Jackie to take her side.

Jackie shook her head and calmly stated, “Honey, it _is_ a little too short. Date or not. Please go change into something else.”

“Seriously?” Lily asked with irritation. Jackie and Billy nodded their heads in unison. Lily groaned.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Rambo started barking in the living room and ran straight to the door. He barked and whined, looking at Billy and stepping his paws in place as he eagerly waited to see who was behind the door.

“I’ll get it!” Lily exclaimed with excitement. She turned on her heels and ran to the door.

She stopped once she was at the front of the house, smoothing out her shirt and tugging at the bottom of her skirt to pull it down a bit. She brushed her hair behind her ears and guided Rambo behind her, whispering to him to _get back, boy_. She opened the door and smiled as Billy made his way towards her to see who this person was with whom she was going on this date.

With a bright smile, Lily’s cheeks blushed as she said, “Hi, Bud.”

Billy narrowed his eyes as he approached closer to the door. Lily invited the boy inside. He was tall— about Billy’s height. Blonde hair was neatly trimmed. Skin as smooth as a baby’s bottom. No hints of a five o’clock shadow or even his ability to grow facial hair. The kid wore a pair of dark blue jeans, a plain white polo shirt, and clean white tennis-shoes.

“You look pretty,” the boy smiled, eyes lingering a little too long on Lily’s bare legs for Billy’s liking.

Billy cleared his throat. Arms still crossed, he stood tall with a firm, stern look on his face. His biceps bulged beneath the hems of his short sleeves. Admittedly, he was sure to flex his arms enough to make them appear bigger and more intimidating.

Lily rolled her eyes and sighed as she introduced her father. Holding her hand out, she lightly stated, “This is my dad.”

The boy smiled at Billy and took two steps with his right hand outstretched for a handshake. “Nice to meet you, sir. I’m Bud.”

Billy took the boy’s hand, gripping just a little stronger than usual. He turned his head slightly to the side to place his ear closer to the boy. “I’m sorry. _Butt?”_

Bud chuckled and shook his head. “No. _Bud_ ,” he emphasized the _D_ sound. “With a D,” he kindly corrected Billy.

“Dad,” Lily narrowed her eyes, silently reprimanding him for being an asshole to the kid.

Billy retracted his hand after a firm shake and glanced at Lily when she spoke to him. Billy had heard him clearly. _What kind of a stupid name is Bud, anyway?_

“It’s a nickname,” Bud smiled and carried on a friendly, conversational tone. “Ever since I was a little, my family called me Bud. I made friends with everybody, and people started calling me Buddy, then it got shortened to Bud when I became older.”

Billy nodded his head with a fake smile. _You won’t be getting too friendly with my daughter,_ he thought to himself. Jackie approached from the kitchen, drying her hands with a red and white striped dish towel.

“Hi,” she sweetly said, standing by Billy’s side while extending her hand to Bud. “I’m Jackie. Lily’s mom.”

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Hargrove,” Bud said, graciously taking her hand in his and offering a friendly shake. His eyes lingered on Jackie a little too long for Billy’s liking, too. “Wow, I can see where Lily gets her good looks from,” he smiled, looking over at Lily again who giggled. Jackie hummed a soft giggle as well.

Billy tongued at his molar. It was the only thing he could do to keep from lashing out with strong words sharp enough to slit the kid’s throat. He did, however, place a possessive arm around Jackie’s waist and gripped her hip opposite of himself. Jackie looked at him and playfully jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, silently telling him to simmer down and be nice.

“People call me Bud,” he introduced himself to Jackie, “but my real name is Doug. Doug Nieman.”

Billy’s grip automatically tightened against Jackie’s hip, causing her to wince and grab the wrist that was attached to it. She squeezed his wrist, trying to comfort him enough to calm down at hearing the name.

“Doug _Nieman_ , you said?” Billy gritted his teeth.

Bud smiled and nodded his head. “Yes, sir.”

 _You’ve got to be fucking kidding me._ “You, uh,” Billy kept his arm around Jackie but scratched under his stubbled chin with his other hand, “a _Junior,_ by chance?”

Bud’s smile started to shrink and seemed to be replaced by a look of disgrace. “Uh, yes, sir.” Bud shifted on his feet. “I’m assuming you have the displeasure of knowing my father?”

 _Displeasure? Maybe this kid isn’t so bad after all._ But, he didn’t like the idea of another Doug Nieman in the world. And he certainly didn’t like the idea of Doug Nieman, Jr. taking his teenage daughter out on a date, knowing what Doug Nieman, Sr. tried to accomplish on his date with Jackie nearly three decades ago.

“We went to high school together,” Billy stated crossly, keeping the details of that night between him and Jackie. Even the kids didn’t know about it. All they knew was that Dad started out as Uncle Tommy’s best friend and eventually fell for Mom.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Bud said in a half-joking manner. “I don’t really see him too much anymore since he and Mom divorced.”

Bud nodded his head and looked down at the floor as he rocked on his heels. Jackie reached her hand over and patted Billy on the abdomen before announcing, “I’m sorry, Bud. Before you two leave I just need Lily for a few minutes. We’ll be right back.” It was the most subtle way she could think of to get Lily back to her bedroom to change into something different.

Jackie reached her arm out for Lily, who quietly and agreeably walked towards her mother. Jackie turned around, with her back to Bud, and gave Billy a serious look. “Be nice,” she whispered, knowing that Billy’s blood was pushing boiling at the mentioning of the name.

Billy licked his teeth and gave a short nod to his wife before eyeing Bud again. Bud pressed his lips together in an uncomfortable closed smile and tried to look everywhere but at Billy. Billy didn’t give a damn about Bud’s comfort level right now. He continued to stand tall, feet shoulder width apart in a rather dominant posture. Arms crossed again in front of him and his face was less than friendly.

The silence was uncomfortable for Bud with Billy’s eyes on him. He licked his lips, cleared his throat and said, “So,” but didn’t know what to say next. A brief pause so quiet that one could hear a pin drop made his heart race, especially when Billy made no effort to rescue the conversation during the pause. “Lily tells me that you own a mechanic shop,” he tried to engage Billy.

Ignoring his statement and attempt to converse like buddies, Billy asked, “How old are you, Bud?”

“Uh,” Bud stammered, nervous as hell. “Eighteen, sir. I’m graduating next month. I was already accepted to Purdue for the fall.”

Billy didn’t care about any of that at the moment. It felt like 1985 all over again. Bud— Doug Nieman, Jr.— was the same age as his asshole father, and Lily was the same age as her sweet, innocent mother, when the last dating debacle between a Nieman boy and Hagan girl occurred. _What are the Goddamned odds?_

“Legally an adult,” Billy nodded his head. “My daughter is still a minor,” he stated the obvious.

Bud’s cheeks turned slightly red. He understood what Billy was saying.

Bud continued to say something else, but Billy interrupted him. “Bud,” he sighed, rubbing his mouth and stepping forward until he was in front of the boy. He placed a firm hand on Bud’s shoulder. “I want you to know something.”

Bud looked into Billy’s eyes. “Y-yes, sir?”

The kid seemed scared. _Good._ Billy smirked and narrowed his eyes, “Lily is my little girl. She is my _only_ daughter. And she is going to graduate high school and go to college, and she’s going to do it without getting knocked up.”

Bud’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “Oh. No, sir. Of course not. I—”

Billy again interrupted him. “Now, you seem like a smart guy. And you seem to be a respectful guy. So, I’m assuming that you are smart enough to respect my daughter, and smart enough to respect my rules regarding my daughter.” Billy spoke with an eerily calm voice that kept Bud’s attention and focus. “Rule number one, you keep your hands and other body parts to yourself. Lily comes home in the _same exact_ condition in which she is leaving.” Bud nodded his head and swallowed audibly. “Rule number two, you don’t ask, pressure, or force my daughter to anything she doesn’t want to do. No means no.”

Bud again nodded and vehemently agreed, “Yes, sir. Absolutely. I would never—"

“Rule number three,” Billy continued, “If you pull into my driveway and _honk_ , you better be delivering a package. Because you sure as shit aren’t picking anything up. Number four, if you make her cry, I will make _you_ cry. In fact, _anything_ you do to my daughter, I will do to you. So, please, make good decisions and be wise. And finally, don’t lie to me. What are your plans for tonight?”

Bud blinked several times and shook his head, forgetting all words in his vocabulary as he processed everything that Billy had just said. “Uh… I was going to take her to Olive Garden for dinner, and then we were going to go to the movie theater at Starcourt to see _The Lords of Salem.”_

“Is that a horror film?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Gory?” Billy cocked an eyebrow.

“I assume so, sir. It’s a Rob Zombie movie,” Bud nodded but wasn’t sure how much violence and gore it contained.

“Good,” Billy nodded his head. “The gorier the better. Something that will maybe keep you two _out of the mood._ You know what I’m saying?”

Bud nodded his head and politely confirmed, “Yes, sir. I’m sure I do.” His cheeks flushed.

Billy leaned in closer, just inches from Bud’s face. Bud recoiled slightly but tried his best to stay in place. “One more thing, Bud,” Billy quietly spoke, like he was about to share a secret between just them. “I’m friends with the chief of police. I own a shotgun, a shovel, and ten acres of land throughout the county. Just know, that if you violate any of my rules, that the police will _never_ find your body; and, even if they do, I’m not afraid to go back to prison.” That last part was a bluff. Billy never spent a single night in jail or prison, but he knew that he could look rather intimidating with his physique, deep voice, and strong square jaw. Bud didn’t need to know that it was a lie.

Bud’s eyes widened as Billy dropped his hand from his shoulder and stepped back just in time for Jackie to come back downstairs, sans Lily. She looked between the two males. Bud looked at least three shades paler than when he first walked in. Billy’s arms were crossed in front of him again, and he had a smug look on his face.

Hesitantly approaching, her eyes shifted back and forth between her husband and her daughter’s date. “You boys getting along?”

Billy turned and smiled at her, chipperly acknowledging, “We sure are. Aren’t we, Bud?”

“Yes, Mr. Hargrove,” Bud quickly agreed and offered a slight smile to Jackie, doing his best to not look scared out of his wits.

Lily came down the stairs quickly. Instead of the short black skirt she wore earlier, she was now wearing a denim skirt that came down to her knees. In her hands was a black jacket, just in case the air became chilly later. Billy would have preferred a chastity belt and jeans that came up to her belly button, but he supposed it was a good enough compromise. Jackie had been upstairs with her, and if it was Jackie-approved, it was Billy-approved.

Bud kept his eyes no lower than Lily’s chin and smiled at her when she approached. “Ready to go?” Lily smiled with excitement and held her jacket in front of her.

“Yeah, yes,” Bud smiled back. He returned his look to Billy and offered his hand for another handshake. Billy was impressed with the manners and accepted his hand, shaking it with less vigor than he had when they first met. “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Hargrove.” Bud then offered his hand to Jackie, and she accepted without question. “Mrs. Hargrove.”

“It was nice meeting you, Bud. You two have fun. Drive safe,” Jackie sweetly said.

Lily bounced lightly on her tiptoes and looked at her parents. “Bye, Mom,” she approached and gave Jackie a quick hug and peck on the cheek. She bounced over to Billy and gave him a hug, as well. “Bye, Daddy.”

“Bye, pumpkin,” Billy smiled lightly and kissed the top of her head, knowing he would have to let his daughter grow up and date someday. _But why the hell did it have to be Doug Nieman’s kid?_ “Be good, and have fun,” he told her with a playful tug at the end of her curly hair.

Bud opened the door and held his hand out, motioning for her to go first ahead of him. As he was about to follow, Billy called out to him once more.

“Oh, Bud.”

Bud halted in his tracks and looked at Billy without a word.

“What time will you be bringing her home?” Billy raised his eyebrows and waited.

Bud looked between Billy and Jackie, then back to Billy again. “I can have her home by eleven?” he asked rather than stated.

Immediately, Billy countered with, “Ten.”

“Bill,” Jackie said quietly but sternly.

“Thirty,” Billy followed up with quickly.

Bud slowly nodded his head. “Ten-thirty,” he repeated to make sure he understood.

Billy nodded his head. Bud glanced between the two adults again and offered his farewells. “Alright, sir. Thank you. Have a good evening.” With that, he stepped outside and closed the door.

Once the door was latched, Billy instantly walked over to the long, narrow window beside the door and watched as his daughter and her date walked away. His face looked harsh as he leaned his palms against the door and wall on either side of the window. Jaw was tensed, eyebrows pointed downward and inward towards his nose, lips pressed into a thin line.

As Bud latched the gate to the white picket fence that led to the driveway, he looked up and saw Billy watching. He quickly turned around and briskly walked over to the passenger side to open the car door for Lily.

Jackie approached Billy from behind and wrapped her arms around his midsection. “Will you _stop_? You look like a madman.”

“Yeah, well, that’s the idea,” Billy watched Bud get in the car and back out of the driveway. At least he seemed to drive at a safe, reasonable speed.

“Come on, you remember what it was like to be that age,” Jackie rested her cheek against his shoulder blade and softly traced her fingers over Billy’s taut torso.

“Exactly,” Billy turned his head to the side to try to see her, but he could only see a small portion of the top of her head from that angle. “I _know_ what we were doing at 16 and 18.”

Jackie smiled fondly at the memories. They snuck around for an entire weekend. Had sex any chance they could. Sometimes in the back of Billy’s car, sometimes at the lake. Once, in her bedroom, standing up against the closet door with her bedroom door halfway open, their bodies out of sight around the corner, but still a risky and stupid move with her parents home. And her senior prom night… _woof!_

“And we were _fine,”_ Jackie sighed, trying to calm Billy’s nerves. “You didn’t worry this much when the boys started dating,” she pointed out the discrepancy in his behavior.

This much was true. But, Billy had also given them the talk about the birds and the bees early on and made sure that they understood that every action has a reaction, a consequence: sometimes good, sometimes not. He raised his boys to be good men. Honorable, chivalrous, respectable and respectful.

Still looking to the side to try to see Jackie, Billy gruffly stated, “I didn’t, because I know what kind of sons we raised.”

Jackie turned her head and tilted it to the side to gain a better view of Billy and so he could see her as well. “Then you should also know what kind of daughter we raised. The kind that can throw a right or left hook without breaking a nail.”

Billy huffed a brief chuckle at that. Lily sure was a spitfire. Much like her mother. Face like sunshine and wrath like hellfire. She didn’t take any shit off anybody. Billy knew she could hold her own. Knew that she was responsible because he and Jackie had raised three responsible children. Albeit, Lily had a bit of an attitude and a smart mouth at times. Billy was fairly certain that that part came from him.

“She’ll be fine. He’s not his father any more than you are yours,” Jackie dragged her arms back from Billy’s torso and gave him a reassuring squeeze on his thick biceps before walking back into the kitchen to return to her dinner preparation.

Billy turned and looked out the window once more. Bud and Lily were gone. Out of sight. It was the first real date Lily had ever gone on. He couldn’t help but worry about her, but he knew Jackie was right. She was always the voice of reason in their relationship.

Billy was pretty sure that he worried the most about Lily not just because she was their only daughter, but she was the youngest as well. The boys wouldn’t be living at home for much longer. Billy Jr. was 22-years-old and had been talking for the past several weeks about thinking of proposing to his college sweetheart, Brittany, after graduation next month. Johnny was 19 and working on weekends as he commuted to college Monday through Friday. They were so close to being empty-nesters within the next few years.

He pushed himself away from the window and followed Jackie’s path to the kitchen. He stood quietly. His eyes were drawn back to her firm posterior again as she bent over to retrieve a pot from the bottom cupboard. Her shirt rode up and gave him a better peek at her rounded behind. A low grunt emerged from his throat as he took his thoughts away from Lily and turned them all to Jackie.

“Where _are_ the boys?” Billy questioned, taking a few slow steps towards Jackie.

Without looking at him, Jackie continued moving around the kitchen. “Uh,” she drew out as she thought for a second. “Junior is at Brittany’s house, and Johnny is at work ‘til nine.”

It had been a long time since it was just the two of them. No more weeknight concerts filled with weed and backseat sex on the way home. No weekend getaways after Billy Jr. was born. Any trips taken were family vacations, and those became more and more hectic with the addition of each kid; but, they were memories and experiences he wouldn’t change for the world. Hell, he couldn’t remember the last time he and Jackie had the house to themselves for a few hours. Tonight was the first time in a _long_ time.

“Sooo,” Billy crooned, stopping behind Jackie again and placing his hands on her shoulders, rubbing circles with his thumbs. “We have the house to ourselves for the next few hours, huh?”

Focused on the task at hand, Jackie didn’t catch on to Billy’s hopeful and hungry tone. “Yeah, it looks that way.”

Billy nodded his head and stilled his hands. He licked his lips and looked down again at the curve of Jackie’s ass. He slid his hands down her back and gripped onto her hips tightly, thrusting his pelvis against her backside with force, lurching her forward into the edge of the countertop. Jackie cried out in surprise, slamming her hands down on the flat surface to steady herself.

She turned her head with a grin plastered on her face as she looked at Billy. “What are you doing?”

Billy smirked as he humped her again harder. “What’s it look like? I’m trying to fuck my wife.”

He roughly gripped the waistband of her tights and tugged it down over her hips and just below her ass. He moaned when he saw her bare ass cheeks. She was wearing a black thong. Of course, he should have known, having not seen any panty lines beneath the form-fitting pants she was wearing.

Jackie gasped and gripped the edge of the countertop as Billy’s hand connected sharply with her exposed skin. She bit her lip and let out a muffled moan as Billy smacked her butt again, followed by groping and rubbing at the reddened skin to soothe the sting. Billy then snaked his hand around to the front of her panties and immediately slipped his fingers beneath the soft fabric.

His fingers traveled past her landing strip shaped pubic hair and directly to her clit. Jackie threw her head back against his chest as he kissed her shoulder and neck while he started to rub her in a circular motion. After several seconds of doing that, he travelled slightly further down and felt her slickness gather on his fingers. She was always so ready for him.

Billy removed his hand from her underwear and tugged at her hips to get her to turn around. Reaching behind her, Billy carelessly pushed the pot, cutting board, and food items to the side. Some of it fell to the floor with a loud, clanking, clattering echo while some of it fell in the sink.

“Billy!” Jackie looked behind her and protested at the mess and waste he just created.

Billy suddenly picked Jackie up and sat her on the edge of the counter. She placed her hands on his arms to steady herself. She hardly had time to turn her head back around before Billy’s lips were on hers and his hands held her face in place. His kiss was passionate and warm. His tongue rapidly found entrance to her mouth, swirling around her own for a bit before he sucked on her bottom lip.

As he pulled away, he lowered his hands to the waistband of her underwear. “I’ll order us Chinese after,” he stared into her eyes as he tugged at the material and then jerked it down off her hips and thighs, nearly dragging her off the counter top with the amount of force he was using.

Jackie bit her lip in response to seeing his lips curl into an amused, sexy grin. His blue eyes sparkled with lust and desire and stared back into hers. Never looking away from her face, Billy pulled her panties and tights completely off her legs and dropped them carelessly to the floor beside him. He forcefully placed his hands on her knees and pushed her legs apart, stepping forward until his pelvis was against her naked core.

Jackie twisted the front of his shirt into her closed fists and tugged him to her. Their lips hungrily sought each other, sucking until it nearly hurt. Tongues danced rhythmically together, and teeth nipped at delicate skin. Jackie wrapped her arms behind Billy’s neck as his hands slid up her thighs, hips, and waist, gathering the material of her shirt to lift it up and off her body. They broke their kiss just long enough for him to discard the tunic and his own t-shirt onto the heap with her pants and underwear before they resumed kissing and holding each other.

Billy leaned back to look at her face. Her cheeks were flushed and lower lip swollen as a result of their stimulating encounter. He wiggled his eyebrows and licked his lips suggestively as he started to kneel to the floor. Jackie scooted forward so that she was sitting directly at the edge of the countertop. She planted her hands on the cold, granite top and leaned back, watching Billy as his face approached her inner thighs.

He looked up at her and their eyes met as his breath hit against her skin. He licked and kissed her inner thigh, eliciting a shiver and light, breathy moan from Jackie. She closed her eyes momentarily and threw her head back to focus on the sensual thrill so close to where she wanted and needed it. Billy then switched to her other thigh. Licking, kissing and gently scraping his teeth against the skin to switch up the sensation.

When Jackie looked down at him again, their eyes met once more. He had never looked away from her. She watched as he placed his hands on her thighs to keep her legs spread as he took his first taste of her sex. Jackie’s hips jerked involuntarily at the erotic buzz that made her clit throb and insides flutter. She licked her lips and closed her eyes, again tossing her head back as Billy worked his tongue up and down her slit before latching onto her clit and suckling gently.

She stabilized herself on one hand while the other found its way to the top of Billy’s head. She ran her fingers through his soft, wavy, blonde and gray locks, gripping onto what she could as he moved his entire head in circles as he licked and sucked at her. Desperate for release, she began to swirl and rock her hips against his face.

He lapped at her wetness, moaning against her sensitive skin which added to the pleasure she was experiencing. Billy reached under her thighs and around to her backside. Gripping her firmly, he pulled her forward harder against his face as he dipped his tongue inside her vagina and wiggled it around. Jackie cried out with bliss at his skill.

Being on the edge of the countertop was starting to become uncomfortable as the edge pressed against her tailbone. Billy starting to increase his speed and pressure. Jackie thrusted lightly against his mouth, gripping his hair tightly as she felt her orgasm start to approach.

“Billy,” Jackie moaned, barely audible with how breathless she sounded, “I’m gonna cum.” Her lower region tingled and she felt her stomach tighten.

At hearing that, Billy’s fingers dug into her flesh and held her in place securely against him. He flicked his tongue against her clit before he flattened his tongue and pressed hard against her. Once final lick along her slit like that was all it took for Jackie to arch her back, sob out loud with a carnal whimper, and press her hand against the back of his head as she rode out her orgasm.

As her body relaxed and her grip loosened on his hair, Billy stood up and wiped his mouth with his hand. A shit-eating grin was stuck on his face at how quickly he was able to bring his wife to climax. Immediately, he worked on unbuckling his belt. Jackie adjusted herself on the countertop and watched, half-dazed, as Billy unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans and pushed them and his boxers out of the way to his knees. His belt buckle clanked against the wooden cabinet as he stepped forward and gripped Jackie’s leg beneath the knee, hoisting her leg up and around his waist while holding onto his erection with the other hand to guide it into her wet entrance.

Jackie gasped as he filled her right away, no time for adjusting to his girth before he started to harshly thrust in and out. His swollen head nearly popping out of her each time and then slamming against her cervix made her toes curl. Jackie wrapped one arm around his neck while trying to hold herself up with the other hand. Billy leaned forward and kissed her hard against the mouth, his tongue breeching her lips to explore the inside of her mouth. Jackie moaned into the kiss as he pounded into her below.

It wasn’t like they didn’t have sex often. At least once a week, but that was a far cry from how often they had sex when they were younger and before they had kids. Jackie didn’t allow her mind to wander too much with what got into Billy that he needed to have her right here, right now.

She loved when he took control, was a little rough and direct with her. Sometimes after he was gone for a full day at work and she was at home, she really missed his touch, his voice, and his handsome face. She couldn’t remember the last time they had sex in a room of the house that wasn’t their bedroom. They had certainly never had sex on the countertop when it was still daylight and the windows were open for anyone to see if they walked by.

Billy panted against her face. “ _Fuck,_ I love you so much.” He looked down at their genitals and watched for a few seconds as his glistening penis went in and out of her vagina. He licked his lips, watching her suck him back in and grip him tightly every time he thrusted forward.

Jackie’s fingernails scratched against his back. “I love you, too, Billy” she moaned, leaning forward to kiss him again.

Their kiss was sloppy and wet, like they just learned how to engage in the act. Jackie slid her hand back up and ran her fingers over his scalp, allowing his short, neatly cut hair to pass through her fingers. Billy broke the kiss and nudged her cheek with his nose to get her to turn her head so he could kiss her jawline and hit that sweet spot on her neck. He grabbed a fistful of her hair, wrapping it around his hand, and tugged with moderate force.

Jackie closed her eyes and sighed contentedly as she arched her neck to the side for him, knowing exactly what he wanted to do. Ever since he discovered that spot on her as teenagers, he has been drawn to it like a moth to a flame. After a few kisses to her neck, he rested his forehead against the nape of her neck, holding her thigh against his waist and dropping his other hand from her hair to firmly place it against her opposite leg.

He quickened his pace as his thrusts became erratic. Hot breath panted against her neck and the top of her chest. She could tell he must have been close because he found her clit again and began rubbing her rapidly. Billy always loved to make sure that Jackie finished first. Even though he had already given her one orgasm earlier, he loved the feeling of her cumming around him. It was something intoxicating and invigorating that always took him over the edge.

Jackie spread her legs wider to allow him to access her comfortably. He felt the leg in his hand start to twitch and tremble. Jackie leaned back, pushing her pelvis forward.

“Come on, baby,” Billy rasped against her damp skin. “Cum for me.”

He licked her neck and sucked fiercely against the skin beneath her ear. He might just leave a mark. The combination of all this attention he was given her body made her orgasm so hard she felt like she was falling. Jackie tightened her hold around Billy’s neck as she screamed out in gratification, her vagina pulsating and squeezing delectably around his penis as she dug her fingernails into his skin.

Billy hissed and his jaw dropped open at the tight grip, just the right amount of pressure to bring him orgasm. He slid his hand from her clit to her hip, clinging to her with all his might as he pressed forward one final, powerful thrust and spilled inside of her. Billy let out his own breathy moan, squeezing his eyes shut and opening his mouth in a deeply satisfied expression.

Jackie smiled and giggled at what they had just done. _God, even her laugh was sexy, especially when it was all breathy with that ‘just been fucked’ sound._ Billy stood up straight and looked at her, meeting her smile with his own as he lovingly combed his fingers through her hair and pushed it behind her ear. They rested their foreheads against each other as their breaths began to even out.

“Told you I’d still want to be inside you when I’m fifty,” Billy smirked, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

Jackie chuckled and pointed out, “You’re not fifty yet.”

She was right. He was 46 but still looked at her the same way he did when he was 18: like it was only ever just him and her. “Close enough,” he smiled pressing his forehead against her again.

Jackie placed her palm against Billy’s warm, sweaty chest, still just as fit as the day they first met. She gently nudged him back so she could look at his face. “You’re still into me? After all this time?”

She smiled, already knowing the answer, because she was still into him, too. He was the love of her life. The father of her three children. The man who kept all his promises: kids, cars, a house with a white picket fence, a dog, and the ability to stay at home with the kids while he worked in a shop that he built from the ground up.

Billy smiled, looking at her eyes, down to her pink lips, then back up to her bright eyes again. “You bet your sweet ass… _lover._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for reading. I live for comments and feedback, so please let me know what you thought of the story, what were your favorite parts, etc.
> 
> I was thinking of maybe doing a series of one-shots with Billy and Jackie. Some ideas I had were:  
> 1\. Jackie's Senior Prom  
> 2\. When Billy Proposed  
> 3\. When they find out they're pregnant  
> 4\. When Billy bought the house  
> 5\. When Lily came home from her date
> 
> Let me know if any of those interest you, or if you have some other relationship milestones from Billy and Jackie's life that you would like to read!
> 
> I am also right now working on a sequel to "Sweet Caroline" that I will add to the Caroline Mayfield series. I'm thinking of calling it "Lonesome Billy," which is the title of another song. The first verse, to give you an idea of what to expect with the sequel, is "Always lonely, Always looking, To get even with the men, Who did him wrong, That was Billy, Lonesome Billy." Please keep an eye open for that posting in the next week or so!

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own any characters or anything from Stranger Things. Original character names and likenesses to any real people are purely coincidental, and all that jazz.


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